New Orleans Pelicans: Examining the trade market for Anthony Davis

Portland as a trade partner

CJ McCollum is still young, and the Blazers have several young bigs to offer. In an utterly brutal conference, their pick this year could easily wind up in the mid to late lottery. That could be enough to at least get them in the conversation.

Yet, as good as McCollum is, the Pels would need a bigger headliner coming back their way if the lottery pick isn’t at the very top of the draft. Without getting incredibly lucky, it won’t be.

The Sixers would have no problem offering a tasty headliner in the form of last year’s number one overall pick Ben Simmons, and Jahlil Okafor theoretically still has some modicum of trade value. Unfortunately for them, with the East being what it is, they’re likely to play themselves out of the lottery pick they’d need to complete the deal.

The Lakers have Brandon Ingram to offer, and, unlike the Sixers, should be quite bad this year. The only problem is that they don’t own their pick. By 2020 – the year of the next first rounder they can trade – they could be a LeBron-led juggernaut.

The Kings have a ton of young talent, but like the Lakers, aren’t able to trade a first round pick any time soon – 2021 to be exact.