The Los Angeles Lakers selected Moritz Wagner and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk in the 2018 NBA Draft, but another selection, Isaac Bonga, is now officially joining the team after the completion of a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The deal saw the team send a 2019 second round pick (via the Chicago Bulls) and cash to the 76ers in exchange for Bonga, who was selected with the No. 39 pick.
Due to league rules, teams are limited in the amount of cash they are allowed to accept via trade in a single season, and the 76ers had already hit their limit for the 2017-2018 NBA season.
As a result, the trade could not be made official until the league calendar flipped to 2018-2019.
Bonga, a 6’9″ swingman who plays more like a point guard, will join a Lakers team that added LeBron James this summer, which means there will be pressure to win games. At just 18 years old, Bonga may not fit that bill just yet, so the Lakers could give him time with their G-League team, the South Bay Lakers, while he develops.
Long-term, Bonga’s physical profile and skill set is intriguing and should be a nice fit with what the Lakers are going for if his game continues to develop.
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