The Lakers were busy making moves Thursday, doing all they could to move up in the second round of the NBA draft.

Moving up to No. 36 in the draft with their second trade of the day, the Lakers acquired Adou Thiero out of Arkansas.

To get what many with the Lakers and around the NBA view as a “super athletic wing” in the 6-foot-6 Thiero, the Lakers first traded their 55th pick and about $2.5 million in cash to the Chicago Bulls for their 45th pick. Then the Lakers sent that No. 45 pick and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the rights to Thiero (originally selected by the Brooklyn Nets), according to a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.

The deal will be finalized at a later date.

Thiero averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting from the field and 5.8 rebounds last season for the Razorbacks.

He needs to improve his shooting, as do many second-round wing players, but the Lakers think Thiero will improve on that over time.

The Lakers and other NBA scouts compare the 220-pound Thiero to Knicks forward OG Anunoby, a three-and-D player that L.A.’s scouts thought might be drafted in the first round.

Though the Lakers are in need of a center, they also need athleticism at the wing to play alongside Luka Doncic, and Thiero helps address that need.

One scout said Thiero is athletic and will “catch lob passes” from Doncic.

“It feels good. A dream come true,” Thiero said. “Just happy to be here. Playing for the Lakers, too, that’s a blessing for sure.”

When asked about the Lakers’ roster, Thiero said: “LeBron! It’s going to be fun learning from everybody. But you got Bron, you got Luka, AR (Austin Reaves). It’s a lot of people on that team. I’m just ready to get with the guys and work.”

And the Lakers were happy to go from No. 55 to No. 36 and not give up future assets to draft Thiero. The Lakers didn’t have a first-round pick in Wednesday night’s draft.

People around the league said the Lakers had their eye on Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton, but the 7-foot-1 center didn’t last on the board long, going to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 34.

Reaves declines offer

Austin Reaves declined the team’s maximum offer of four years for $89 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

Reaves, 27, still has two years left on his deal, for $13.9 million next season and $14.9 million in the 2026-27 season, and he holds a player option for the last year of his deal.

He was third on the Lakers in scoring last season, averaging career-highs in scoring (20.2), assists (5.8), rebounds (4.5) and minutes per game (34.9). He shot 46% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.

Lakers add Dixon

The Lakers signed former Villanova forward Eric Dixon to a two-way contract, according to people with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.

The 6-8 Dixon averaged 23.3 points per game last season for the Wildcats.

Clippers move up to get Kobe Sanders

Nevada’s Kobe Sanders shoots a free throw during a game against Colorado State in December.

(Andrew Wevers / Getty Images)

The Knicks drafted guard Kobe Sanders out of Nevada at No. 50 and traded him to the Clippers for Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick.

Sanders, 23, is a 6-9 wing player who averaged 15.8 points per game last season.

The Clippers chose Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser with the 30th and final pick in the first round on Wednesday.

Former NBA All-Star Dwight Howard said his dog, Sunday, died last week after being hit by a car.

“I’m devastated because you were the dog that never left my side, the dog that stuck to my hip at all times, and the one time you wander off without me being there someone takes you away from me,” Howard wrote in an emotional Instagram post. “Who could be so heartless to do this to such an innocent girl with no remorse.”

Howard also implored his followers to reach out to him if they had any information “regarding a Belgian Malinois that was hit by a car” on June 18 in Suwanee, Georgia.

Howard wrote that after Sunday was hit, the car “kept going.”

“From the moment I got you, Sunday, you were more than just my dog… You were my peace. My protector. A reminder of everything beautiful and calm just like those early Sunday mornings,” Howard wrote in his post. 

“You hugged like no other. Barked at nothing like it meant everything. And every time I called your name, you came running full speed like your only mission was to love me… You were joy. You were warmth. You were my girl. And your life was cut short too soon. You helped me Smile through all the Storms I’ve been through but what do now that my Sunday Sunshine is gone…

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard during the second quarter against the Miami Heat at Amway Center.  (Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

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“I’ve been trying to hold this in… I really have but it’s killing me inside to get answers! I need answers and I won’t stop searching until I find out what happen to my beautiful Sunday. Rest in love, Sunday. You’ll always be my baby. I’ll carry your heart with mine forever.”

The Suwanee Police Department did not immediately respond to an email from Fox News Digital.

Howard shared several photos and videos of Sunday, including one of both of them on an outdoor basketball court.

When Howard was a starter in the league through the 2017-2018 season, he averaged 17.4 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. He led the NBA in rebounds per game five times in six seasons from 2007 to 2013.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard during the second half against the Miami Heat at Amway Center.  (Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

He was the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and was named the Defensive Player of the Year three times.

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Mexico’s Monterrey advanced to the round of 16 at the Club World Cup by thrashing Urawa Red Diamonds 4-0 on Wednesday at the Rose Bowl in the third and final match of the group stage, while Argentina’s River Plate was eliminated with a 2-0 loss to Inter Milan in Seattle.

As the third-place team in Group E, the Rayados needed to win, scoring as many goals as possible, and then hope for a winner at Lumen Field during the match between River Plate and Inter Milan, because if the match was tied 2-2, Monterrey would be eliminated no matter what happened in Pasadena.

But Inter Milan’s win gave the club first place in the group with seven points, followed by Monterrey with five and River Plate with four points. Urawa did not earn any group points.

“We have to enjoy now, the present,” said Domenec Torrent, Monterrey’s technical director. “I’m very happy for the people who came here and for Mexican soccer in general.”

Torrent added that he was happy to finish unbeaten during three group stage matches, earning one win and two draws.

“We knew it was going to be a complex match. Urawa, despite being eliminated, we knew they were going to play a difficult game,” Monterrey midfielder Óliver Torres said. “In fact, in the first few minutes they made it very difficult for us. After the goal, we started to grow in the match. We knew it was a very important day for all the club’s workers, for all the fans who were here and at home, and well, for all of Mexico.”

Monterrey settled the match in a matter of nine minutes.

Colombian Nelson Deossa fired a powerful shot from outside the box at Urawa goalkeeper Shūsaku Nishikawa, who could not block the shot as the ball rolled in for a goal in the 30th minute. Two minutes later, Argentine Germán Berterame fired a low shot on the right side of the Japanese goal and scored. Then, Jesús “Tecatito” Corona fired a long-range missile, extending Monterrey’s lead to 3-0. The fourth goal came in stoppage time when Berterame finished off a diagonal cross from the right.

“I didn’t expect what tonight was like,” said Berterame of his brace, the win and the qualification. “We were coming to win, but I think it was a dream night.”

Monterrey will face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta while Inter Milan will face Fluminense on Monday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in the round of 16 of the tournament.

Monterrey fans cheer for their team during a Club World Cup Group E soccer match against Urawa Red Diamonds at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

(Jae Hong / Associated Press)

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“The next game we know is very difficult,” said Torrent, who added Dortmund plays a style very similar to Inter Milan. “It’s another European team that competes very well, they have won things. We already know how they play, I’ve seen them very well.”

“Every game is like a chess match. Getting through the group was not easy. It’s going to be very difficult for them to beat us and if they beat us, let the fans know that we’re going to give everything.”

Sergio Ramos’ Monterrey and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are the only two CONCACAF teams to survive the first round, as Pachuca, Seattle and LAFC were eliminated during the group stage.

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.