The Lakers refused to break up their young core to acquire Trevor Ariza from the Suns because they’re saving their assets for a run at Anthony Davis, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said today on ESPN (Hat tip to Real GM).
Davis will be eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension from the Pelicans next summer, which could pay him a record-setting $239.54MM over five seasons. However, if Davis decides not to accept that offer, he is guaranteed just one more season in New Orleans before his player option arrives in the summer of 2020.
The Lakers are among several teams preparing for that scenario, stockpiling as much young talent as they can to offer the Pelicans in a potential trade.
“Here’s the line they have to walk: they’re not going to give away picks and their top young players in some deal that makes them incrementally better this season,” Wojnarowski said, “because they have to save all those assets for Anthony Davis, a big trade this summer either pre or post free agency.”
L.A. has been careful about preserving cap room for next season to be able to make a max offer in a talented free agent class that will include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and several other stars. The pursuit of Davis won’t affect that plan, according to Wojnarowski.
“The absolute dream scenario, people talk about (how) they can trade for Anthony Davis or sign a free agent,” he said. “The dream scenario is they do both.”
ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who co-hosted the show with Wojnarowski, explained that the Lakers plan to take a shot at free agency first, then will try to swing a deal for Davis. If it works, that could produce a Big Three that would eclipse what LeBron James had in Miami or Cleveland.
Assuming none of them are traded away during the season, L.A. will have Lonzo Ball ($8.72MM for next year), Brandon Ingram ($7.27MM), Kyle Kuzma ($1.97MM) and Josh Hart ($1.93MM) available to offer in a potential deal for Davis.
They can save all they want I personally don’t think they can come close to anything the C’s can offer
And I’m sure they will trade him far away from anything in the west
Celtics window to offer that package closes this season.
It just depends on what Ainge is willing to give up. The Lakers will put anyone on the table. Ainge might not put Tatum out there
Like who? All u have is Tatum and Brown who seems like a bust. I can see if they would want nothing but tatum but who else is there to offer?
How is Brown a bust? Sure, the beginning of the season was rough, but he was also hurt. His numbers have come around since coming back from the injury and Brown is better than any of the 4 young players listed as trade assets for the Lakers. Rozier is also another great asset, Robert Williams is looking like the steal of the past draft class, would you like me to keep going? I haven’t even mentioned the upcoming stockpile of draft picks the Celtics have which are all from bad teams out of contention; these picks are something no one else can match especially when paired with the young players already on the Celtics roster.
Robert Williams the steal of the draft? The same guy averaging 2 points and 2 boards a game? Slow your roll.
Because Celtic fans over hype the snot out of their role players. He just said Brown was better than any of the Lakers young core. No clue in what world Brown is better than Kuzma or Ingram. Kuzma is just as good as Tatum is right now. Just the age diffrence gives Tatum more value
ill still take tatum over kuz. kuz is great & if theres one younger player they should keep, its him. but thats also the lebron factor.
Robert Williams the steal of the draft…….. HAHAHAHAHA all I can do is laugh
I never understood the hype around Robert Williams. There is a reason he slipped so far in the draft.
Wow you sound extremely uneducated!
Brown is an average Joe.. Nothing great. Certainly not better then the lakers mentioned.
Come on man. You are suppose to be a C’s fan but don’t you realize they can’t trade for AD this season because of the Rose rule. So if they wait for the summer Kyrie, and Horford are UFA and “scary Terry” is a RFA. They can’t trade those dudes unless they agree to sign and trade. You have Tatum and Brown and those picks that aren’t nearly as good as everyone thought they’d be. Very good chance NO takes Ingram, Kuzma and picks from LA. Especially if AD is pushing a desire to play there, which idk if that the case but he does have ties here. Including he just bought a big house here. That might not mean anything but like LBJ it might.
Nice summary.
You sure bro? Last time i checked most of your squad has regressed. Ingrams numbers are better than tatums. Jaylen brown cant shoot outside, hart is wayyy better. Just another celtics homer here.
I’d rather have Tatum than Ingram I think at this point, but it’s close. I also think it’s a toss up between Brown and Hart, but I’d lean towards Hart right now.
Thats entirely fine but the joker above made it sound like celtics have inside track. Everyone forgets rich paul is his agent, he will guide davis toward the lakers where his buddy lebron plays.
It’s up to the Pelicans first to decide if they want to trade AD. If they do, it’s up to the Pelicans to decide what they want for him. Rich Paul didn’t get Eric Bledsoe to Cleveland. He didn’t get LeBron to Philly to play with Ben Simmons. The Lakers are wishing he didn’t get Kentavius Caldwell-Pope to LA. “IF” Ad decides he won’t re sign with the Pelicans, IT’s UP TO AD, NOT RICH PAUL, TO DECIDE WHERE HE WANTS TO PLAY. The Pelicans may not want to trade him to the Lakers, just like the Pacers, Spurs, and now Phoenix. Just like Kawhi going to Toronto, AD could end up in his hometown of Chicago.
No one cares about your commentary thats biased and most times off base. Ad just bought a house out here and hired rich paul lebrons agent this past summer. Bledsoe didnt end up on the cavs because lebron didnt want him he was already heading toward leaving. Lebron wouldnt have signed to a non playoff team if there wasnt an agreement in place.
Once again, you are getting west coast news. Altman telling LeBron he wouldn’t trade Kyrie, along with not getting Paul George or Bledsoe had “a lot” to do with LeBron leaving Cleveland. Knowing about Durant living in San Francisco and having businesses there came from Durant. Durant saying he didn’t want to play with LeBron or be around a toxic media again was the biggest sports story recently and was read by millions of readers. My stuff comes from the players directly. Your stuff comes from you.
For AD, saying he and Kyrie wanted to play together came from AD. For my comments about the decisions being up to the Pelicans and AD, that’s the system the NBA uses. Just like the Kawhi trade, and the Paul George trade, before LeBron got there they wanted to play for the Lakers. How many trades has Magic made since he took over. ZERO. That’s because he wouldn’t meet the other teams demands.
P.S. Magic stunk as a Lakers coach too.
You talk directly to the players? That’s awesome, who do you know?
You know exactly what I mean. Kevin Durant said a boatload about LeBron and his “toxic” followers. I didn’t talk to him, but he sure let a lot of people know.
That’s one person, you talk all the time about what Kawhi wants and he’s never said anything. Your stuff doesn’t come directly from the players it comes from reporters like everyone else.
That’s because like everybody else on the internert, we read. We talk to our friends and family about what we read. That’s why we have social media.
Kawhi told Ramona Shelbournewhat he wanted. I think I’ve been through this with you before.
Celtics can offer all they want and they can get him. But guess what? After that one season he’s a free agent and if you wants to come to LA like the rumors say then he’s coming to LA. Is Boston willing to take the chance to lose four or five very good players?
AD will make $27,093,313 next season. For a trade to work, Kuzma. Ingram, Hart, Lonzo, and Moritz are included totalling $21,957,085. AD can still decline his extension to get more money when his contract expires July 1, 2020 as Kawhi, Kyrie, Butler, Kemba, and Tobias have done.
The Lakers have the problem of McGee, Stephenson, Rondo, Kentavious-Pope, Chandler, and Beasley will be free agents July 1. Boston has Kyrie, Horford, Morris, Baynes, Rozier and Brown will be eligible for an extension. Boston has the advantage in that Kyrie and AD have already spoken to each other about playing together. It will be difficult for Boston or the Lakers to trade around July 1.
Um lakers have his agent on speed dial lol
AD has Kyrie on speed dial and they have said it in public. lol Again, it’s up to the Pelicans to decide “if” they want to trade him “if” he declines his extension and says he won’t re sign with New Orleans. “If” the Pelicans were to trade AD, like Paul George, Kawhi, and Jimmy Butler they’d want a good veteran, a good young player, and picks. They’ll want a ton and the salaries would have to match.
Speak English! Keep your comments short! Boring!
This was a perfectly cogent group of sentences. Read better.
You’re the one who replied to my free agent predictions with a “wrong” comment. I got them all right dude. You obviously don’t like being told facts.
@Chun. I still remember from last summer. I laughed when Paul George signed with OKC, and Kawhi got traded to Toronto.
You’re completely ignoring salary matching players and trade exceptions by discussing salaries.
Again… Don’t you think the general managers have this figured out without your help? Also is Boston willing to lose a few very good players on a trade the half Davis for only one season if the rumor is true about him coming to Los Angeles?
Clueless.
Williams has turned out to be the rim protector the Celtics need and has played well with Horford out. Everyone is forgetting that AD likes New Orleans and can get a 5 year supermax contract ($40mm a year) when his contract runs out July 1, 2020.
Woj read my post earlier decided he better catch up. ;)
It would be funny if the Lakers trade for AD before signing anyone, and use all 7 kids to do so, and so has a roster consisting only of Davis & James.
Then Bledsoe & Gasol sign. Rondo, Lance, Mcgee, & Chandler are having a good time so they will want back. Add a basket of wings and the Lakers should win it.
You’re right but I believe it will not take all those players you’re mentioning. If that’s the case it’s defeating the purpose & Lakers will just wait one more season
Seems like the smart thing to do would be to sign a top free agent and then trade for How much is he making next season?
Ptn18 is all over this stuff. Impressive as he does his homework and states facts not a bunch of BS. I’d AD is traded he’s much more likely to go to the Celtics. 4 -1st round picks with players like Rozier, Brown, Williams etc.. I like some of the Lakers young talent but they can’t offer the picks as well. Celtics have more to offer and of. Purse the AD Kyrie situation. If he and Kyrie are that close then he’s not playing with LeBron based on what Kyrie knows about playing with LJ. Logic says that’s not likely despite the agent situation.
Ptn created a burner I am dead.
I already see a forum blue and gold jersey on the man.
Anyone who says that LeBron will put the Lakers in the same boat that the Cavaliers were ignorant. The problem with the Cavaliers they don’t have the money the bus family does.
And the NBA tells them how to spend it. Dan Gilbert is worth $6.5 billion. LeBron got them so far into the luxury tax, the only free agents they could sign were trade exceptions and minimum salary players. Do your homework.
At what point does it become tampering?
The lakers need to strike now. I saw a thing on espn from woj where because of some weird nba rules the Celtics can’t trade for Davis while kyrie is on the team under the contract he’s on
This is true. And the Pelicans won’t trade him if they do until after he declines his extension in July.
There’s no logic to AD trying to force his way out of N.O. with a super-max deal on the table. KL maybe (we don’t know) did it, but there’s no indication that AD’s relationship with his team is even bad, let alone toxic to that degree.
Sign it. Play the year (Pels can force him to anyway). If the team goes south, then ask for a trade.
If Pels do not make the playoffs, does he not decline the QO, decline an extension, and ask for a trade? If so, it is to NOP’s best interests to do so. It would likely be a quick rebuild with the returns.
Pels could get a boost in January by trading Wes Johnson for Rodney Hood & CFrye. Hood would be motivated there.