Report: Los Angeles Lakers trade Patrick Beverley to Orlando Magic for Mo Bamba
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading former All-Defensive guard Patrick Beverley and a second-round pick to the Orlando Magic in exchange for center Mo Bamba, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.
The Magic drafted Bamba sixth overall in 2018, but he never secured a role in their future. Orlando's crowded frontcourt — including Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr. and Bol Bol, among others — made it difficult for the Magic to fully commit to Bamba's on-court development.
Bamba has averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game over his first five seasons. The 7-footer has shown an ability to space the floor on offense both vertically at the basket and out to the 3-point line, where he has shot 38.6% on 3.5 attempts per game over the past two seasons.
He has the athleticism to become a rim-protecting force, and opponents are shooting 3.9% worse than their season averages around the rim when Bamba is defending. At 24 years old, he remains an extremely raw talent.
Bamba's $10.3 million contract for next season is non-guaranteed if the Lakers release him by June 29.
The Lakers acquired Beverley from the Utah Jazz this past summer in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson, hoping the 34-year-old would provide defense and shooting to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Beverley averaged 6.4 points (40/35/78 shooting splits), 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 26.9 minutes over 45 starts for the Lakers (25-30), failing to dramatically impact their record.
Beverley is under contract for $13 million this season and becomes a free agent at season's end.
A need for Bamba materialized prior to the NBA's trade deadline, as center Thomas Bryant requested a trade, per Haynes. Bryant's role had been minimized once Davis returned from injury late last month. The Lakers traded Bryant to the Denver Nuggets earlier on Thursday for reserve wing Davon Reed and second-round picks in 2025, 2026 and 2029. Bryant will back up two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in Denver.
Bryant signed a one-year minimum contract with the Lakers this past summer.
The trade for Bamba completes an overhaul of the Lakers' 13th-place roster around James and Davis. On the eve of the deadline, they traded Russell Westbrook's $47.1 million expiring contract and their top-four protected first-round draft pick in 2027 to the Jazz in a three-team transaction with the Minnesota Timberwolves that returned D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to Los Angeles.
In essence, the Lakers traded the expiring contracts of Westbrook, Beverley and Bryant, a 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected) and a future second-round pick for three second-round picks and the hope that Russell, Vanderbilt, Beasley and Bamba can help propel them to the playoffs. The Lakers trail the Portland Trail Blazers by two games for 10th place in the Western Conference and the final play-in tournament berth.
Only Vanderbilt is under guaranteed contract next season for the Lakers. The Lakers own a $16.5 million option on Beasley's contract for next season. Russell will become a free agent in July, barring an extension.
