That Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager would make at least one trade prior to the deadline was all but assured. They’d done so in each of the previous two seasons they were at the helm come the deadline.
The bulk of their efforts this year appeared to lie with the pursuit of an Anthony Davis trade. Though, the New Orleans Pelicans continued to rebuff proposals from the Lakers, who ultimately pivoted and completed two minor trades.
The first was to send Svi Mykhailiuk and a future second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Reggie Bullock.