Lakers ‘Expressed Interest’ in Trade for Former 1st-Round Pick

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets expressed interest in trading for shooting guard Nique Clifford before he was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sacramento traded Clifford, the 24th overall pick in 2025, to Oklahoma City in exchange for two future second-round picks.

Clifford fell out of Sacramento's rotation early in the 2026-27 season after playing 75 games as a rookie. Sean Deveney notes that Los Angeles has limited trade assets, holding only two future second-round picks while also needing depth at backup center.