After months of speculation and rumors, Anthony Davis finally has a new home. In exchange for Anthony Davis, Los Angeles sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks to the Pelicans. The trade includes the Lakers’ fourth-overall pick in this year’s draft.
With the NBA Finals concluded, that means it’s time for the NBA offseason, and what a way to start it off! Thanks to the expertise of Pelicans Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin, the Pelicans were able to get the most they could out of the trade. Los Angeles acquired a second star to pair alongside LeBron. But, with this trade finally coming into fruition, it’ll impact both teams in very different ways.
Great Deal For The Lakers
With Anthony Davis now on the roster, they’re one step closer to lifting the Larry O’Brien. The Lakers had to give up a lot in order to acquire Davis, who’s, without a doubt, a top player in the NBA. Although trading away three young assets with three first-round picks is a lot, we must remember that Los Angeles still has LeBron James.
This trade pairs two of the NBA’s best together on the same team to wreak havoc. To put into terms how lethal of a duo Davis and Lebron will be, we can point to player efficiency. Among players to play a minimum 300 games, LeBron James (27.59) and Anthony Davis (27.42) rank second and third all-time, respectively. A player of Davis’ caliber will compliment LeBron in all aspects of his game. LeBron is 34 with three years left on his contract. No one knows how much time he has left on the court, but what is certain is that Davis will maximize whatever LeBron has left for the next few years.
I’d say this trade is as a good one for the Lakers. However, free agency has yet to arrive. And, now that Davis is in Los Angeles, the pressure is on for GM Rob Pelinka to form a big three. The question now becomes: which player is willing to commit to Los Angeles? Better yet, which player can compliment LeBron and Davis the best?
Due to the trade, the Lakers don’t have the max contract slot they previously had. However, the $27.8 million that they do have can be used for a great player. That opens a world of possibilities for the Lakers to sign players such as Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, or D’Angelo Russell.
The concern for Los Angeles in this trade is how they’ll construct the rest of their roster. As mentioned previously, there are a bunch of free agents the Lakers can go after. However, they need a PG more than anything. They’ve reportedly made Kemba Walker their top target in free agency. This is crucial for the Lakers especially because they currently have only six players signed to their roster.
Beyond next season, Anthony Davis will re-sign with the Lakers. This leaves them with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and a 2019 free agent on max contracts. The Lakers also managed to retain Kyle Kuzma which is huge and still have Mo Wagner to round it out.
Right now, this was a great trade for the Lakers. Now that Los Angeles has their star, the pressure is on for the Lakers to complete their championship-contending roster.
Perfect Start Towards a Bright Future in New Orleans
The Pelicans got the better end of this trade. Even though they lost their franchise player, they have perfectly established themselves as the team with the best young core. New Orleans acquired Brandon Ingram, who’s projected to be a future All-Star. With him came Josh Hart – a solid role player – and Lonzo Ball, who’s whatever his father says he is.
New Orleans can be stacked with young talent everywhere. Disregarding the current roster, the Pelicans now hold four first-round picks. Three are coming from the Lakers. In the upcoming draft, they have both the first and fourth picks. In the latest NBA Draft projections, those players are due to be Zion Williamson and Jarrett Culver. That leaves the Pelicans with not only the former Laker young core but also two absolute studs in the NBA Draft.
Looking at the complete roster, the Pelicans can end the offseason with a starting lineup consisting of Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Julius Randle. With the exception of Ball, the other four starters are either established players or players projected to be All-Stars. You can go as far as to say the Pelicans may even be fighting for a playoff position next season.
The Pelicans also are provided with roster flexibility. There’s no way they trade away the first overall pick. However, with that fourth-overall pick, many teams are vying to trade for it. This gives New Orleans the chance to acquire a star by trading away the pick. Instead of betting on another young player, trading the pick will give the Pelicans the established star and/or veteran needed to bring all of their young pieces together.
Only Time Will Tell
As the offseason goes on, it’ll be more evident as to who truly won this trade. Both teams got what they wanted but will be taking different paths to reach success. The Lakers are in a winning state of mind and want to assemble the best team possible. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are only two parts of the equation. With their first-round pick traded away, Los Angeles can’t strike out in free agency.
For New Orleans, they still hold all of the cards in their hand. Two picks in the top five of this year’s draft puts them at a major advantage over other front offices. Many teams want those picks, but the Pelicans are going to need a star in exchange. Either way, the Pelicans are set for the future while Los Angeles is building to win now.