The Los Angeles Lakers are gaining ground in the race for the NBA Championship. On Thursday, they traded center Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for reserve guard Davon Reed and three second-round draft picks. Bryant, who had been filling in for Anthony Davis while he was injured, is averaging 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The exchange is part of an effort to open up more minutes for back-up center Wenyen Gabriel.

Things got even busier when it was also announced that the Lakers traded Patrick Beverley in exchange for Mo Bamba of the Orlando Magic, along with at least one second-round pick. Bamba is well-known for his defensive abilities, with a tremendous wing span and a knack for rim protecting. He won't be entirely one-dimensional either, as he ranks in the 89th percentile for 3-point shooting among bigs