<https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35623232/sources-lakers-trading-center-thomas-bryant-nuggets>

Sources: Lakers trading center Thomas Bryant to Nuggets; acquire Mo Bamba from Magic
9:18 AM PT ESPN News Services

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading center Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets for
Davon Reed and three second-round picks, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

L.A. receives Denver's second-round picks in 2025, 2026 and 2029, sources said.

The Lakers will be replacing Bryant with Mo Bamba, whom they acquired in a
trade with the Orlando Magic for guard Patrick Beverley, sources said.

The arrival of Bryant gives the Nuggets another big man to back up two-time
reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Bryant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds
for the Lakers this season, shooting 65.4% from the floor.

Bryant, 25, signed a one-year deal with the Lakers last summer after missing
most of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons because of a torn ACL.

Receiving three second-round picks also restocks L.A.'s future assets and
allows the Lakers to view their Rui Hachimura acquisition last month -- for
Kendrick Nunn on an expiring contract and three second-round picks -- as a
virtually free addition, team sources told ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

L.A. will look to Wenyen Gabriel and Jarred Vanderbilt, a fresh face from the
three-team Russell Westbrook deal, to receive Bryant's minutes behind Anthony
Davis. Bamba, a 24-year-old shot-blocker with the ability to shoot 3s, will
also provide more frontcourt depth.

Bryant is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. The Lakers knew
that Bryant had outplayed the minimum contract they could offer him in the
offseason, sources told ESPN, with the mini midlevel exception being the only
other contract structure available to them to use, being over the cap --
something they intend to save for a player with a more consequential role than
Davis' backup.

Reed, 27, earned a Denver roster spot last summer after playing on several
10-day contracts last season. He has played sparingly this season, appearing
in just 35 games and averaging nine minutes per contest.

With Jokic averaging a triple-double this season, the Nuggets have risen to the
top of the West. But the conference got a whole lot more difficult with Kyrie
Irving's arrival in Dallas and the Phoenix Suns trading for Kevin Durant.

Jokic has plenty of help this season, though, with the return of max players
Jamal Murray (he missed all of last season as he recovered from a torn ACL) and
Michael Porter Jr. (sidelined last year by a balky back). Kentavious
Caldwell-Pope has been a big addition, along with Bruce Brown. Aaron Gordon is
posting big numbers, too.

The Nuggets turned in their highest-scoring game of the season Tuesday when
they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 146-112. It was their most points scored
since Nov. 17, 2017. Jokic led the way by posting his league-leading 19th
triple-double of the season by halftime.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.