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Last night the LA Lakers were finally able to acquire Anthony Davis after attempting to pick him up via trade since last February.
The Pelicans have agreed to a deal to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks – including the No. 4 overall in 2019 Draft, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 15, 2019
FULL TRADE DETAILS:
Lakers receive:
Anthony DavisPelicans receive:
Lonzo Ball
Brandon Ingram
Josh Hart
2019 No. 4 overall pick
2 future 1st-round picks.WOW.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 15, 2019
Now that the Lakers have AD the next order of business is to find a third superstar to form a super team and it appears that LeBron and his camp believe Kyrie Irving could be that player.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick sources close to LeBron James believe there’s a chance Kyrie is “still in play” for the Lakers despite rumors that Irving to the Nets was already a done deal.
Via The Athletic (subscription required)
And now, with the Lakers still capable of creating enough cap room for another max-salary player in time for the start of free agency on June 30, there’s a very real possibility that one of the many available top-tier talents could decide to join them and form the kind of superstar trio that LeBron was accustomed to both in Miami and Cleveland.
Could it be Kyrie Irving, whose frustration with the Celtics experience has been well chronicled and who has been tied to the Brooklyn Nets in recent days? It certainly matters that the two former Cavs co-stars reconciled back in January, when our Joe Vardon detailed the apology phone call heard ‘round the basketball world. What’s more, it was also clear back then that James was open to the possibility of a reunion. Just days before the Davis deal was done, a source close to James indicated some optimism that – Nets noise be darned – Irving was still in play for the Lakers..)
Unfortunately for the Lakers, they might not have enough cap space to sign a third superstar.
For now, expectation is Anthony Davis trade will be completed on July 6, league sources tell @BobbyMarks42 and me. Assuming Davis declines to void $4M trade bonus, this leaves Lakers with $23.7M in space. There is chance that could be amended to July 30, but it’s still 6th now.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2019
If Pelicans and Lakers waited until July 30 to complete trade, Lakers could’ve had $32.5M in cap space — enough to pursue a max level free agent. By waiting 30 days, Lakers would be acting like a team over the cap and thus allowed to use 4th overall pick in draft as salary. https://t.co/BdKtxFtvai
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/TylerAtoms/status/1140281127514574854