Anthony Davis is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers organization. The New Orleans Pelicans traded Davis to the Lakers for Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and several first round picks. The fourth overall pick the Lakers captured in the draft lottery is indeed one of the many picks New Orleans gets in return.
The Pelicans will get the following picks from the Lakers, league sources tell ESPN:
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 16, 2019
No. 4 pick in 2019
Top-8 protected in 2021, becomes unprotected in ‘22
Unprotected swap in ‘23
Unprotected first in ‘24
Unprotected swap in ‘25
Tremendous haul for David Griffin & the Pelicans.
Anthony Davis/Lakers Trade Breakdown From The Lakers Perspective
The Lakers paid a steep price to acquire Davis, but the deal had to be made. The pressure was on Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka to not waste another year of LeBron James‘ prime. So in the city of angels, they finally have the second star they’ve been wanting to pair with James.
With Davis now with the Lakers, they now will shift their focus to free agency. They’re now trying to land another superstar to pair with the newly formed Davis/James duo. But having enough salary cap space to land another superstar may be an issue.
If Pelicans and Lakers waited until July 30 to complete trade, Lakers could’ve had $32.5M in cap space — enough to pursue a max level free agent. By waiting 30 days, Lakers would be acting like a team over the cap and thus allowed to use 4th overall pick in draft as salary. https://t.co/BdKtxFtvai
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2019
If the Lakers aren’t able to land another superstar, it won’t be the end of the world. They’ll be in position to add potential “ring chasers” as some like to say to their roster. A James/Davis duo is definitely good enough to win it all next season, especially with the Golden State Warriors likely taking a step back due to injuries to Kevin Durant (Achilles) and Klay Thompson (Torn Left ACL).
Another reason why the trade for the Lakers had to be done is it’ll help with team morale. They couldn’t afford to keep dangling their now former young core in trade discussions like they did this past season. A divide in the locker room would still exist, which also increased the urgency to get the deal done.
Anthony Davis Has A Chance To Be Yet Another Great Lakers Big Man
If you know the rich history of the Lakers franchise, they’ve always had big men that’ve won and thrived sporting the purple and gold. Players like Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Pau Gasol have done just that. Now, Davis has a chance to add his name to that conversation. He’s definitely good enough talent wise to do so.
When healthy, Davis is a top five player in the NBA and can play both ends of the floor. He can handle the ball like a guard, can shoot from the perimeter, and post up. Davis also is a good free throw shooter as well, shooting 79.5% from the free throw line for his career.
Defensively, he’s also a problem for opponents. Other than his rookie season, Davis has averaged at least 2.0 blocks per game every season, which is dominant. But it doesn’t tell the full story.
That doesn’t include the countless amount of shots that he alters around the rim and on the perimeter. And he’s a teammate’s best friend in transition because he runs the floor well and is an easy target for lob dunks.
Davis is 26 years of age, and with his physical gifts, the Lakers not only gave up assets to say “we have him”. They did it because they see another great potential Lakers big man coming their way. If he stays healthy, that definitely will be the case.
Breaking Down The Trade From The Pelicans Perspective
For the Pelicans, this off-season has turned out beautifully for them. They not only were able to net the first overall pick, which will be Zion Williamson, but they got a good haul for Davis.
Ingram will be a restricted free agent next summer and is looking to put it all together. In his last six games, Ingram averaged 27.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game before his season was cut short due to a blood clot issue. So the Pelicans definitely should be excited about what he can bring to the table.
As for Ball, the potential is definitely there, especially defensively. If the Pelicans elect to keep Holiday instead of trading him, a Ball/Holiday backcourt will be one of the league’s best duos defensively.
With the Lakers, Ball showed flashes of why he was selected 2nd overall in the 2017 draft. But injuries, along with a shaky jump shot, have played a part in why he didn’t get to grow in Los Angeles. Now with the Pelicans, he’ll have a chance to grow as a player and to simply focus on basketball.
Hart isn’t the flashiest player, but he does the little things that can help a team win. He’s a good defender, can give New Orleans some shooting, and is also on a cheap rookie deal, which the Pelicans will also love. And like Ball and Ingram, will be able to have a chance to play and not have to worry about trade rumors consistently.
The Pelicans, with the picks they acquired from the Lakers, essentially control their draft for the next 5-7 seasons. Although the picks for the first few years aren’t going to be high, it’s still a win. Just having those assets in your back pocket isn’t a bad thing.
Why The NBA Should Be Happy About The Anthony Davis To The Lakers
This deal is one the NBA should be very ecstatic about. The Lakers have the star power to contend again, especially for the next 3-4 years. That’ll also lead to the buzz the league loves when they’re contending for a championship.
Historically, when the Lakers are contending, it forces other teams/organizations to step up their game. Plus, it puts the purple and gold back in their comfort zone, which is back to being the NBA’s most hated team once again.
As for the Pelicans, the NBA should be happy that a small market team got a good haul. Teams normally don’t get a lot for one-year rentals like Davis, but New Orleans did. Yeah, the Pelicans lost a top five player in Davis, but with Williamson, Ball, Ingram, Hart, and multiple first round picks, their future is brighter than it was yesterday.
So not only do the Lakers and Pelicans get what they want, but the NBA does as well. Both teams will be must see TV next season, so get the best seat in the house and tune in.
