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LAL receives: F/C Anthony Davis
NOLA receives: G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG Lonzo Ball, F Brandon Ingram, G Josh Hart; 2019, 2021, 2023 First-Round Picks
Anthony Davis is arguably a top-five player in the National Basketball Association. During his seventh season, the 25-year-old is having an MVP-caliber 2018-19 campaign.
Davis is averaging 28.9 points per game on 51.4 percent shooting, with 13.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. He is under contract through next season in which he has a player option to return, but rumor has it that the New Orleans Pelicans will offer him a mega-max deal this summer. It has also been rumored that he may turn down the Pelicans because of his main focus being winning and at 21-24, New Orleans is having a tough time delivering that.
For the Los Angeles Lakers to even acquire the superstar, they’d have to sell quite a few assets. Not only a slew of players, but first round picks as well. The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors may be able to offer better packages in terms of personnel and/or picks, meaning that Los Angeles would have to go over the top.
Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart are all young players with notable potential; adding KCP to the package is simply salary matching. The three first round picks allow the Lakers to throw a substantially-large package at New Orleans, but the objective is to put stars onto the court alongside LeBron James.
Would the Pelicans accept this deal? Maybe, maybe not. LA would be going out on a limb by selling the asset farm, but it’d be necessary for the future. For New Orleans, they get three young players on small contracts and a veteran with an expiring contract. On top of that, the Pelicans get THREE first round picks as well.