The Los Angeles Lakers may have won in the short term, but the New Orleans Pelicans are poised to become a dynasty after trading away superstar Anthony Davis.
When LeBron James came to the Los Angeles Lakers he made it clear that he wanted to win now. At the tail end of his peak, James didn’t have time to wait for the promising young Lakers team to be ready, so he orchestrated a blockbuster deal for superstar Anthony Davis.
The New Orleans Pelicans received a treasure trove in exchange, getting most of the Lakers’ young core as well as three first-round draft picks, including the 4th pick in the 2019 draft. They were able to trade the 2019 pick for Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a future protected first round pick. The Pelicans also received Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart in a trade that was widely regarded as a win/win for both teams. The Lakers got another superstar to pair with LeBron and the New Orleans Pelicans got one of the best young cores in the NBA.
With a full season nearly in the books, the Los Angeles Lakers are running away with the Western Conference behind stellar play from their two superstars, while the young Pelicans are trying to claw their way into the eight seed after a miserable start to the season that saw prized rookie Zion Williamson on the bench with an injury and the team mired in a 13-game losing streak.
The Lakers are right where they want to be, a championship contender with a chance to re-sign Davis for the long term, so it would be easy to look at the standings and say that they won the trade with the Pelicans.
But with the Pelicans surging behind generational-talent Zion, it appears as though New Orleans may actually walk away from the trade as the big winner. Here’s a breakdown of how the New Orleans Pelicans won the trade that sent Davis to the Lakers.
What the Lakers Got
Anthony Davis
Davis was obviously the big get for the Lakers and he hasn’t disappointed. The Brow is averaging 26.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists on the offensive end and continues to be one of the NBA’s best defensive players, adding 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks, which is third best in the league. Davis will likely finish in the top ten in the MVP race and has helped the Lakers to a 43-12 record, second in the NBA behind the Milwaukee Bucks and five games ahead of the Denver Nuggets in the loaded Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to win the NBA title, LeBron is happy, Davis wants to re-sign and the Lakers have a real chance to add multiple championship banners to their already crowded rafters.
The Lakers filled out their roster with veterans like Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard and Jared Dudley and have gotten surprisingly good play out of Alex Caruso in his third year. They are playing well heading into Tuesday’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans, and coming off a big win over the Boston Celtics, their fifth in a row overall.
The short-term future looks bright in Los Angeles, but it came at a cost, as the Lakers gave up what has become the most promising young core in the NBA and a potential future dynasty when they made the blockbuster deal for Davis.
If the Lakers don’t win a title with Davis, this trade may end up going down as a big mistake for Los Angeles and here’s why.
What the Pelicans Got
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t give away Davis for nothing. In addition to lucking out and winning the Zion sweepstakes, the Pels got a group of young players that is emerging as a potential dynasty.
Brandon Ingram
Ingram was the centerpiece of the Davis trade, but at the time was still just a spindly combo forward who had flashed some signs, but was far from a sure thing. Since arriving in New Orleans, Ingram has made the leap and is now averaging 24.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Ingram has improved his 3-point shooting to 40.2 percent and made his first All-Star game at just 22 years of age. He’s not quite Davis yet, but Ingram is close, especially when you compare his numbers to The Brow at the same age. If the Pelicans had only gotten Ingram and picks it would probably still be a fair trade.
Lonzo Ball
Ball’s time in Los Angeles was marked by controversy after he was drafted number two overall out of UCLA. The negative media attention generated by his outspoken father, coupled with insane expectations took its toll on the young Ball. His numbers in year two had dipped significantly and he was more of an afterthought in the trade. Since arriving in New Orleans Ball has put the controversy behind him and become one of the best young point guards in the game. He’s averaging a career-best 11.8 points per game and is adding 6.8 assists and six rebounds, as well as above average defense. Lonzo is still just 22-years-old and is the type of unselfish, team-first player that will make a perfect match with Zion and Ingram. Ball has a chance to be an All-Star in the NBA and is proving to be a valuable part of the Davis package.
Josh Hart
Shooting guard Hart had a nice start to his career as a rotation piece for the Lakers, but his improved play turned a very good trade into a home run. Hart is averaging career highs in nearly every category, getting 10.6 points per game and adding 6.6 rebounds. He’s improved his 3-point shooting to 35.9 percent and is now the New Orleans Pelicans’ most important player off the bench. Hart has proven that he was far more than just a throw-in, and his emergence has added depth to a young team that was lacking in bench scoring and defense.
The Picks
Let’s also not forget that the Pelicans also got multiple first-round picks from the Lakers, in what could be a very valuable part of the trade down the road. The Pelicans were already able to cash in one pick for a nice haul of players, but they also own a protected Lakers pick in 2021, the right to swap picks in 2023, and another first-rounder in either 2024 or 2025, when the Lakers have a legitimate chance of being bad. With so many young players already on the roster, the Pelicans can use these draft assets to make a big trade or can just sit on them and continue to build on their core. Depending on where the Lakers are in the future, these could be valuable picks that ensure the Pelicans have assets to spare moving forward.
The Future
Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers are contenders largely because of their addition of Davis, but beyond this season the future is unclear. Davis turned down an extension with the Lakers, but has consistently said he wants to re-sign. But until his name is on a contract, his future is still up in the air, and Davis could ultimately decide to take his talents to another team.
Even if Davis re-signs with the Lakers, their roster will still be populated with a whole bunch of players on the wrong side of 30, including LeBron, who will be 36 and heading into his 18th season in the NBA. The Lakers will have very little cap flexibility, no draft picks and not a single good player under the age of 25, unless you count the inconsistent Kyle Kuzma. The future is now for the Lakers and they pushed in all of their chips for a rapidly closing championship window. They are good, but they are old and will have to continue to rely on veterans on small contracts to fill out their roster.
The New Orleans Pelicans, on the other hand, are not only winning now, but have one of the youngest and most talented teams in the NBA. Williamson (19), Ingram (22), Ball (22), Hart (24), Hayes (19), Frank Jackson (21) and Alexander-Walker (21) not only give the Pelicans the league’s best young talent to build around, but are also assets in a potential blockbuster trade for a superstar. The Pelicans can be patient and let this team grow together, or they can try to make a move for someone like Bradley Beal, in which case they would be a contender as early as next year.
If the Pelicans can keep Zion, Ingram and Ball together, they have a chance to compete for titles for the next decade and there is not a team in the NBA with a better combination of young talent and assets.
Lakers’ fans are surely excited about this season and next, as they are title contenders who could bring home multiple chips, but they can’t help but look at the Pelicans and wonder what could have been. Both teams got what they wanted from the trade, but the New Orleans Pelicans’ chance to win now and well into the future makes them the big winner in the Davis trade.