The addition of David Griffin in New Orleans and the lottery fortunes of both teams enabled the Lakers and Pelicans to work out an Anthony Davis trade yesterday after negotiations failed in February, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Griffin, whom the Pelicans hired in April as executive vice president of basketball operations, was “the biggest difference” this time around, a source tells Shelburne, adding that he had the freedom to “negotiate fairly and frankly.”
Although they made a show of dealing with the Lakers before the deadline, the Pelicans weren’t willing to entrust a franchise-altering deal to former GM Dell Demps, whom they were about to fire. Ownership in New Orleans resented the way the Lakers tried to force them into a deal and never gave serious consideration to any offers from L.A., Shelburne adds. Demps would only talk to former Lakers president Magic Johnson, not GM Rob Pelinka, then would write down the names being offered and leak them to the press, which led to chemistry issues in the L.A. locker room.
In addition to bringing Griffin into the equation, the situation changed when the Lakers landed the No. 4 pick in the lottery, giving them another valuable asset to include in their offer. The Pelicans might use that selection to add another top rookie to team with Zion Williamson or they might deal it to increase a haul that already includes three picks and three talented young players.
There’s more this morning on the NBA’s first blockbuster trade of the offseason:
- Although the Lakers got the best player in the deal, they only receive a C-plus grade from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, while the Pelicans get an A-minus. With the Celtics refusing to part with Jayson Tatum because they weren’t sure of a long-term commitment from Davis, the return of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart plus the draft picks was the best they were going to do, Pelton contends. They already have better talent to surround Williamson with than there were able to amass around Davis. Pelton states that the Lakers had to move on Davis because they were in danger of striking out in free agency, but they gave up a lot of cost-controlled young talent and now have a top-heavy roster that will have to be filled with bargain signings.
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated sees the deal as a huge win for the Lakers, who now return to relevancy after six years of missing the playoffs. LeBron James is about to turn 35 in December and L.A. was running out of time to surround him with stars. Mannix calls the deal a “career-defining moment” for Pelinka.
- After the trade was announced, the Lakers became clear betting favorites to win next year’s title. BetOnline.ag lists them as +350, well ahead of the second-place Bucks at +700.
We’ve seen how the BI, Ball etc works out and it’s not positive. I’ll go with AD, LeBron, add some shooters and in-season buyouts and take my chances after 6 bad seasons.
and if Davis and/or Lebron get hurt, they have absolutely nothing. all their eggs are now in that basket
Sort of like GS this year. And every team in the league, including the Raptors. What’s your point?
Another panic move by the lakers that will cost them. They better hope for another young star to come along otherwise they have mortgaged their entire future. This a Celtics/Brooklyn trade all over it with three firsts and two pick swaps. Kudos to David Griffin for extracting max value for a player who didn’t want to be there. This was a Danny Ainge caliber fleece job
Davis is still very young
Nah. You give up all the good players in the world for a great one. Good players can be replaced.
Take it easy Big Easy. The Lakers are about to show you how to put a winning team around Anthony Davis, unlike the Pelicans all these years.
Plus, what’s so wrong with going all-in with the present? Don’t you try to win now?
Thirdly, Danny strAinge fleeced no one. He’s still only the 4th or 5th best team in the east !!
-Pierce, Garnett and Jason terry for three firsts and two pick swaps
– Jeff green for a first (2020 unprotected)
– Rajon rondo for a first
– Markelle Fultz for Jayson Tatum and this years kings pick?
I’d say those all worked out well for Danny Ainge
He also signed gordon hayward for 30 million annually and couldnt pull trigger on adding talent around kyrie and letting him walk for nothing. No fielding a team around brown and tatum whom both regressed with more playing time last year.
Tatum is 21 Brown is 22. Celtics still have picks coming. One bad landing by Davis like KT oR KDcand the Lakers or toast. He is brittle too.
There were half a dozen teams that works have given Hayward the max. If you believe that contract was bad, I’d like to trade you two tens for a five.
Again…. he’s 4th or 5th in the east. What have they won? How they succeeded?
Nothing like that at all. Y’all Lakers haters working hard as hell trying to make yourselves fee better though. Don’t worry bud just had a good cry about it.
The really painful part could be that 2022 pick where there will be essentially two draft classes in one. The lakers better be a top team in 3 years or that pick, if it lands anywhere near the top half of the draft, is going to be a legit prospect.
Um lets keep in mind tanking isnt a thing even if we stank theres no guarantee those picks will be in the top half of the draft. Look at cavs this year.
These are kids in early high school now. Lets slow down on hyping them up. If LAL wins a title no matter what pick will be worth it
No, you miss the point. That’s the year one and done goes away. So… it’s literally two draft classes in one. Yes, it’s too early to say which guys succeed. Of course. But there will be twice as many of whichever are going to make it.
It’ll be curious to see what the Pelicans do with the #4 pick. I’d like to see if they can package it with another player, like Ball, to add a veteran. Could they get Love from the Cavs for #4, Ball, and Soloman Hill?
Cavs get out of Love’s contract and gives them flexibility for next offseason when a lot of contracts come off the books. They can use #4 and #5 picks to build the roster along with Sexton, Ball, and Nance Jr.
Wouldn’t do Love but agree that the trove of assets allows them to be aggressive for an established star this draft. Like would 4, Lonzo/Ingram, and one of those future 1st entice WAS to move Beal?
Great question. Not sure if New Orleans or any team would give up that much for an All-Star shooting guard who’s not all NBA.
Beal make sense, I don’t know what it would take to get him though. Regarding Love, I like paring Love next to Zion. He would offer 3 pt shooting and wouldn’t clog the lane for Zion.
fingers crossed my boy danny ainge makes a run at beal
So, acquiring LeBron didn’t make the Lakers relevant before? Nobody better tell that to LeBron’s ego.
Honestly, I don’t know that I like this deal for either team.
I am not a fan of Ball or Ingram, and while I like Hart, he is a fringe starter, but likely more of a second unit shooter off the bench. It’s the three firsts that is why this becomes a win for the Pels.
For the Lakers, they now may be able to draw in another star, but if they don’t, they are not a true Finals contender. Again, I don’t think Ball and Ingram was that much to give up, nor is #4 this year, but those future picks when LeBron is either gone or on his last legs, and a fairly bare cupboard other than AD could spell long term doom for the team. I don’t see FA’s flocking to play with AD in a couple of years, unless the Lakers prove me wrong and do win big over the next 2-3 years or land another All-Star this offseason.
Just glad the Knicks didn’t give up that much for AD. Of course having LBJ at the back end of his prime made some sense for getting desperate to land AD, but without another star player in or committed to coming to the Knicks yet, they could have been really barren after a deal.
Fakers will play 2 on 5? This is a 5 man game. Don’t put the crown on just yet.
This all but guarantees a Semi-final appearance as long as they stay healthy. The rest is up to role players.
Knicks lose out again. Kemba May go to Fakers. Durant not going there solo. Crazy if he does.
I realize that LA is where he said he wanted to go, but I’m not seeing any sort of thing that makes him HAVE to re-sign there. That would be a massive price for a one year rental.
It would be pretty funny if he realized that it sucks to play with LeBron and just bounced after 1 year.
Part of me wants to see a big time free agent just screw over a team that he gets traded to and see what happens. Maybe that is what Jimmy did to Minnesota. It won’t happen but wouldn’t it be cool to see AD go back to the Pels in a year and then announce that he never really wanted to leave but it was just a plan to help “his organization” get more assets. It would be like Kawhi going back to the Spurs but I know that is not going to happen.
laker favorites? That is a laugh. Davis did nothing around him the last few years and add a aged leBron doesn’t even mean a playoff team next year. The west will be very tough.
The team that lands the superstar always wins the trade
Carmelo Anthony says hello
Charles Barkley says hello. Twice.
lakers add another chip and get rondo re-signed they’ll be looking legit. poor luke walton
Walton took over a super team for an injured coach and won a championship. He then parlayed that one season into a contract (did we ever find out how long) for one of the most popular NBA teams and now a new one for four years assuming the court situation does not cancel it out. I don’t feel too bad for Luke.
Dell Demps is a rat, a despicable human being… I hope he doesn’t ever get another job in the NBA!
The Pelicans should have sent Soloman Hill along with Davis.