NBA Power Rankings: Can the Lakers land Anthony Davis before the trade deadline?

In this week’s NBA Power Rankings, we explore whether the Los Angeles Lakers can change the landscape of the league by acquiring Anthony Davis

The 2019 NBA Trade Deadline is just days away, and there is one really big fish on the block that could change the landscape of the entire league depending on where he lands next. And there’s at least a chance that he’s moved in the next couple of days.

Of course, we’re talking about none other than Anthony Davis, who has all eyes on the Los Angeles Lakers, but getting there won’t be easy.

Davis has requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, but he still has one more year on his contract before it expires, so dictating his next landing spot isn’t as easy as it could be. If there’s a team out there, that can outbid the Lakers, willing to roll the dice on Anthony Davis as a rental, it becomes complicated.

And despite the fact that Rich Paul, Davis’ agent, has informed teams that Davis will view any landing spot that isn’t the Lakers as a rental, it appears there will still be teams willing to roll the dice. Including the Boston Celtics, who are one of the only other teams that can outbid LA.

The good news is that Boston can’t crash the pursuit of Davis until the summer, and that’s really the only thing the Lakers have going for them right now. If the Pelicans want to move Anthony Davis ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, the Lakers might be the only move here. Can they make it happen, though? Time will tell.

In the meantime, here are this week’s NBA Power Rankings.