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Report: Lakers send Thomas Bryant to Nuggets for Davon Reed, second-round picks

The big man will bolster Denver’s frontcourt.

Los Angeles Lakers v New Orleans Pelicans
Thomas Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers arrives to the arena before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 4, 2023 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are sending big man Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Davon Reed and three second-round picks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. With Jarred Vanderbilt coming into LA’s rotation, Bryant was the odd man out and will now bolster Denver’s frontcourt.

Fantasy basketball impact

Bryant should be the backup big man for Denver immediately, as the Nuggets were previously rolling with Zeke Nnaji and DeAndre Jordan. He provides some bounce for the second unit and is strong on the glass. With Bryant’s departure, both Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura gain value within LA’s rotation. Vanderbilt is likely to get more run with the second unit, but we’ll ultimately have to wait to see how Darvin Ham manages his rotation.

Betting impact

The Nuggets were the favorites to win the West prior to this deal, and it’ll only help their cause. Bryant is a nice filler big man who can take some minutes off Nikola Jokic’s hands in the regular season.