More fuel to the fire: And yeah, if you could put together Lebron, KD and AD, it's over for the rest of the league. https://bleacherreport.com/articles...Bags-favorites-to-land-pelicans-star-for-2019 Anthony Davis Odds: Lakers, C Bags Favorites to Land Pelicans Star for 2019 ADAM WELLSSEPTEMBER 28, 2018 Layne Murdoch Jr./Getty Images If Anthony Davis doesn't remain with the New Orleans Pelicans after this season, another Western Conference team is the favored landing spot for the five-time All-Star. Per Odds Shark, the Los Angeles Lakers are currently a minus-190 betting favorite (bet $190 to win $100) to acquire Davis before the 2019-20 season. Davis is entering the third year of a five-year deal he signed in 2015. It does include an opt-out clause after the 2019-20 season, so it will be up to the Pelicans to decide what direction they take next summer before knowing where he is going to play. Speculation about Davis' future in New Orleans has been an ongoing topic. ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski noted last December that the Boston C Bags "remained vigilant" on potentially acquiring the superstar power forward if he ever requested a trade. The Lakers would make sense as a potential trade partner because of their young assets. If players like Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram take steps forward this season, the Pelicans could be intrigued by a package built around at least two of those players as they try to rebuild. Adding Davis would give the Lakers a second superstar to pair with LeBron James as they try to chase down the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. The C Bags are also a team loaded with budding stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They haven't been eager to make blockbuster deals that require them to give up long-term assets, but the potential to add an MVP candidate like Davis could change that. There's also the possibility that the Pelicans build off their success from last season when they won a playoff series, have a deep run in 2018-19 and show Davis they are closer to winning a title than ever. If the Warriors (+750) land Davis, the other 29 teams should join forces to see if they could take down the NBA's most unstoppable franchise.
So this is the best case scenario of the Klutch-Lakers business partnership. You spend a little on some KCP and then you're eligible for the Ant Davis package. When NO calls I think everyone is on the table. For the young guys, I think the Lakers' MO will be "keep 1". The Lakers effectively have an agency working for them. Or vice versa? Who knows. I'll watch the basketball
From what I’ve read elsewhere Boston can’t trade for AD this season which leaves the Lakers in a prime spot to land him this season for the right pieces if they so choose. Personally I’m 50/50 in keeping our young assets vs trading them but if it’s for AD and we can for sure land a Durant or Kawhi next offseason, I don’t see where you don’t make that move. I will shed a tear in loosing Ingram though. His potential has me salivating but at the end of the day if you gave me a choice between Ingram or AD right now, that conversation is over before it even begins. AD, Lebron, Kuz, Durant/Kawhi...that’s a three-peat team.
My thoughts as well raviator. I love our young guys and I'm no hurry to move any of them. However, AD is a special player right in his prime and he's one of the only ones I would be willing to part with our youngsters for. I know there's the injury-prone aspect to AD but Ball and Ingram have had their share of injuries already as well. I pull the trigger on that one as long as I can keep Kuz.
Lebron, Rondo (cause someone has to run point) and one of Ingram or Kuz. Everyone else is on the table. I'd rather it be Kuz just because he's making pennies and isn't up for an extension for another couple years, although Ingram is the better player. AD+LBJ+Kuz and role players.
Easy raviator .... if they were to trade for AD they are not also going to have room for BOTH KD and Kawhi's salaries to sign as free agents. Maybe you didn't mean that.
Yeah sorry that last sentence may have looked like that but I did mean Durant or Kawhi. Durant is my first choice by far btw.
Prefer to take the safe route and just get Kawhi in the off season. Keep our guys, let them go to the next level and then the right amount of vets are here, make a run for the next 4 years with Lebron and win a couple titles, maybe 3.
I'm with you. I always prefer building our own, and hate giving up any of our young guns, but... C - AD PF - Kuz SF - LABron SG - KD PG - Rondo That's Revenge of the Basketball Reasons. Not sure I could pass that up.
I think we're going to be sitting on multiple quality scenarios by year's end. It's a good time to be a fan.
C - McGee PF - Davis SF - Leonard SF - James PG - Rondo Bench - Kuzma, Svi, Wagner, Zubac, Hart (?), (?) That starting five would go Jurassic Park on everyone... The Durant possibility is far fetched IMO.
I think it's less far fetched than we would think. That Golden State team has an expiration date. We could be the reason they blow up. I think Golden State has big decisions coming up. Green wants a max payday. Klay wants his big money. Are they going to pay half a million? Are those personalities going to be okay while money becomes a growing factor?
You did. Good catch. That team is about to get REAL expensive. And that's assuming they all still want to play together. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Durant leave. Now would he come here? I dont know.
I agree with your points...but Durant coming over to help his arch rival just doesn't jive to me. I could see Green going elsewhere. Thompson? Not as clear cut. Who knows if they all back off their demands a notch just so they can stay together?
Well they're not really a rival for us right now. I'm not sure Durant sees any one team as a rival. I think he sees his rival as his own legacy. If he threepeats in two cities, that's a hell of a resume.
