Davon Reed

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to tweak their roster ahead of the trade deadline. Fresh off of trading veteran guard Russell Westbrook in a multi-team deal ...

[Jarred Vanderbilt](/nba/players/2892548/jarred-vanderbilt/), as well as [Wenyen Gabriel](/nba/players/2355020/wenyen-gabriel/). And since the Lakers were unlikely to re-sign him over the offseason due to their lack of financial flexibility, it also makes sense that they'd look to get some value in return for Bryant as opposed to losing him for nothing. In 41 appearances (and 25 starts), Bryant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per performance for the Lakers. Bryant is playing for a contract this season, so it makes sense that he would want an opportunity to play as much as possible in order to show his stuff. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) continue to tweak their roster ahead of the trade deadline. The move was likely one Bryant was on board with, as he had grown unhappy with his role in L.A.

Bryant, who signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles this offseason, is averaging 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds a game.

They also value fourth-year big [Wenyen Gabriel](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/wenyen-gabriel-r8zgk7urDgmH0hNc/), who has been out of the rotation recently. Los Angeles sits 13th in the Western Conference standings while Denver (38-17) boasts the second-best record in the [NBA](https://theathletic.com/nba/)behind [Boston](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/celtics/). [Jarred Vanderbilt](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jarred-vanderbilt-PmTxzdRpyfGBRjkU/) on Wednesday, the Lakers had a logjam at the center position. Their next trade — another move is almost certainly happening — will likely include the use of a second-round pick or two rather than a first-round pick, according to a team source. Bryant, who filled in admirably when Davis missed five-and-a-half weeks due to a right foot injury, will back-up Bryant averaged 14.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in January.

The Nuggets acquired Thomas Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers for Davon Reed and three second-round picks, multiple sources told The Denver Post on ...

Two weeks ago, Bryant recorded 31 points and 14 rebounds in a win over the Blazers. The three second-round picks are for 2025, 2026 and 2029, a source said. There are no protections on the second-round picks, a source said.

The Nuggets needed a big man option that was a bit more traditional, and the Lakers' Bryant certainly fits the bill.

Bryant is a serious threat in the paint, and opposing teams will treat him that way. Bones Hyland is still on the Nuggets as of this moment, but it’s possible he’s moved before the deadline is up. His athleticism and physicality make him a serious threat to score in the paint, and he’s also shooting jump shots with high efficiency. Zeke Nnaji was the younger second option, though standing at 6’9″, Nnaji is undersized for the position and is best as a switch-everything defender. The Nuggets have struggled to consistently fill their backup center minutes behind Jokić for much of the season. He has been one of the most efficient big man scorers in the NBA this year, helping the Lakers keep afloat in those minutes without Davis.

The new-look Los Angeles Lakers won't include Thomas Bryant. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski...

The acquisition of Vanderbilt helped the Lakers fortify their frontcourt depth. He'd also outplayed his contract & LA only has mid-level to re-sign him— so they opted to give his minutes to Wenyen Gabriel & replenish the picks they gave up for Rui. Bryant had grown unhappy with his diminished PT since AD returned and asked LAL to look for a better situation.

Bryant had been averaging 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 65.4% from the field.

He figures to compete for backup center minutes in Denver behind Nikola Jokic. ANALYSIS: Wojnarowski adds that the second-rounders acquired by the Lakers are for the 2025, 2026 and 2029 drafts. The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly traded Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets for a package that includes Davon Reed and three second-round draft picks.

According to ESPN, the Nuggets are trading Bones Hyland to the Clippers. The Lakers are also trading center Thomas Bryant to the Nuggets in exchange for ...

[Jarred Vanderbilt](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/2892548/jarred-vanderbilt/), as well as [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/2355020/wenyen-gabriel/). And since the Lakers were unlikely to re-sign him over the offseason due to their lack of financial flexibility, it also makes sense that they'd look to get some value in return for Bryant as opposed to losing him for nothing. Bryant is playing for a contract this season, so it makes sense that he would want an opportunity to play as much as possible in order to show his stuff. The move was likely one Bryant was on board with, as he had grown unhappy with his role in L.A. In 41 appearances (and 25 starts), Bryant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per performance for the Lakers. The Lakers receive Denver's second-round picks in 2025, 2026 and 2029.

The Lakers made a bevy of moves during the final hours of the NBA Trade Deadline on Thursday.

In the last few weeks, the Lakers have dramatically revamped their roster adding Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley, and D'Angelo Russell. The moves make the Lakers longer, younger, more athletic, and more versatile. The 34-year-old averaged just 6.4 points and 2.6 assists in 45 games with the Lakers this season. Bamba was averaging 7.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game this season with the Magic. The only other true center on their roster, Damian Jones, was traded to the Utah Jazz in the Westbrook deal that landed former Minnesota Timberwolves point guard D'Angelo Russell back in Los Angeles. However, according to Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Chris Haynes, Bryant requested the trade out of Los Angeles after his role diminished upon Davis' return.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly trading Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets for Davon Reed and three second-round picks.

The Lakers have been linked to him for a while now, although the Pistons don’t seem to be intent on moving the 33-year-old. It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more! The Lakers may not be done yet, either. Bryant had grown unhappy with his diminished PT since AD returned and asked LAL to look for a better situation. However, another possible reason for the deal was that Bryant had simply out-played his minimum contract, making re-signing him a tall task this offseason, according to They also can now play centers that better fit the mold of their team.