The Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly finalizing a trade for Anthony Davis, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The trade will send Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks to the Pelicans in exchange for Davis. Among the first round picks included is the Lakers’ No. 4 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Years and potential protections for the other picks are not yet known.
The Lakers and Pelicans have circled one another since before the trade deadline dating back to Rich Paul and Anthony Davis informing the Pelicans they would not sign an extension and thus requested a trade back in late January. From there, the two sides went from not talking to discussing deals in what seemed like a blink of an eye.
The Lakers reportedly offered five packages originally to the Pelicans, including one deal of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac and a first-round pick.
With the move, the Lakers now have two of the top ten players in the league and the two max-contract stars they have long chased. Having the move done ahead of the draft also paints a clearer picture for the Lakers heading into free agency with the need to chase a star free agent out the window and the ability to build around the core now the focus.
