The Lakers are trying to add their next piece.
Los Angeles is scrambling to reshape the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade with the Pelicans and create $32 million-plus in salary cap space when the free agent moratorium ends on July 6, according to ESPN.
The Lakers are shopping three of the remaining five players on the roster — Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones — according to ESPN. LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma are the only other two players currently under contract with the Lakers.
Wagner, the No. 25 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, likely has the highest value among those three players. In return, the Lakers are looking to acquire second-round picks in the draft Thursday to fill out their roster with players who will carry only minimum salaries against the cap.
The Lakers need to move those contracts in order to come within 125% of Davis’ salary – the difference in $23.7 million and $32.5 million in cap space, which would allow them to sign a player to a max-level contract.
The Lakers paid $1.5 million in a deal to acquire Bonga in July, leaving them with $3.7 million available to use in financial trades. Teams can only pay up to $5.2 million to buy draft picks in a calendar year.
However, the Lakers’ $3.7 million available to buy draft picks resets to $5.6 million on June 30, when the salary cap resets. If they intend to use more than the $3.7 million, the Lakers can agree to a deal on draft night but wait until July 6, the beginning of the new league year, to finalize it.
Los Angeles won’t be able to sign any free agents until July 30 if they want to have maximum cap space, unless they can convince the Pelicans to delay the completion of the trade.

