The Team: The Los Angeles Lakers
Since entering the league in 2012, Anthony Davis has been given the title as the “next” great NBA player. Now entering his 7th year out of Kentucky, he has only lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs twice and is facing a crossroads nearing the midway point of his career.
Thoughts of Kevin Garnett wasting the first 12 years of his career in Minnesota come to mind, as Davis has the type of two-way impact that brings multiple titles if built around properly.
Over the last few weeks trade winds involving the New Orleans big man have began to become stronger. While Anthony Davis cannot opt out of his current contract until the summer of 2020, it is clear he is making it known through the media and behind the scenes movers and shakers that his time with the Pelicans is nearing an end. We have seen players flex like this before, leading to trades including Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler (twice?).
I am not the first to say this, but I want to make sure the general NBA public is ready for it: Anthony Davis is going to join LeBron James on the Los Angles Lakers by mid-July 2019. There are some moves that need to be made to make this happen, but many have already been made to put/keep the Lakers in the drivers seat for the all-star forward. I only need three pieces to complete this puzzle.