LOS ANGELES _ The Lakers will have a new No. 23 next season, and now have the capability to sign a third superstar.
According to people familiar with the deal, the Lakers have reworked the terms of the Anthony Davis trade to send Moe Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to the Washington Wizards and have received a commitment from Davis to waive his trade kicker.
Meanwhile, Davis received a little gift from his new teammate. LeBron James has agreed to give up No. 23 jersey number he has worn for most of his NBA career (he wore No. 6 while with the Miami Heat).
The moves agreed to Thursday will earn the Lakers an extra $8 million in salary cap space that was not negotiated into the original deal.
The Lakers are expected to have about $32 million to spend in free agency, which should be enough to sign a player on a maximum contract. It also gives them more cash to spread among lower-tier free agents, should they fail to receive a commitment from one of the top players in this year's free-agent class.
According to reports, Kawhi Leonard is planning to meet with the Lakers but will reserve his final meeting for the Toronto Raptors. Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving are also in line for maximum contracts.
The Lakers initially reached an agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans on June 15 to trade for Davis. The original terms sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart to the New Orleans Pelicans as well as three first-round picks and the option to swap another. One of those three first-round picks was the No. 4 pick last week. The Pelicans traded it to the Atlanta Hawks, who chose Virginia's De'Andre Hunter.
The trade is expected to be executed on July 6 when the moratorium lifts on the new league year. Completing the trade in late July would have afforded the Lakers more salary cap space. The trade was initially set to be completed on July 6, but the Pelicans remained open to considering moving the date if the team to whom they traded the No. 4 pick agreed to do so. The Hawks did not. Completing the trade in late July would have prevented them from playing Hunter in the Las Vegas Summer League, which begins next week.
The last two weeks have emphasized the Lakers' commitment to the present rather than the future. The team has had lottery picks for the last six seasons, having missed the playoffs in an unprecedented stretch for the franchise. None of those players remain with the team.
Julius Randle, selected seventh in 2014, saw the Lakers renounce his rights late in free agency last season. D'Angelo Russell, selected second in 2015, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2017. Russell, who will be a restricted free agent, could reunite with the Lakers this summer if the Nets choose to move on from their All-Star point guard.
Ingram and Ball were second overall picks in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
The expansion of the trade also means that the Lakers have only one home-grown player on their roster _ Kyle Kuzma, whom they staunchly refused to trade while negotiating with the Pelicans. Wagner was selected in the first round last season, and Bonga was a second-round pick. Jones was with the South Bay Lakers last season, called up to the Lakers late in the year.
With only three players committed to their roster for next season, Lakers officials have work to do to complete their team, but they now have the flexibility of several options.
