The Lakers did not make the move for the late first round pick. They basically just searched
for a deal to dump the terrible Mozgov contract to go for the big free agents next summer.
I could imagine further seeing another deal like this with Deng to make even more space.
Here are both contracts to see again how awful they are:
2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20
Luol Deng $18,000,000 $17,190,000 $18,000,000 $18,810,000
Timofey Mozgov $16,000,000 $15,280,000 $16,000,000 $16,720,000
RE: Lakers made a move to get a late first round pick