The Los Angeles Lakers made a bold move last summer to trade a talented young core of players for a proven superstar in Anthony Davis. General manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers brass felt like the time was now to capitalize on the team having LeBron James leading the way, and that makes a lot of sense with the future Hall of Famer not getting any younger heading into his 17th NBA season.
Although Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart are talented with a potentially bright future ahead of them, the prospect of bringing in another superstar who is anxious to compete for a title was too much to pass up on. Fast forward a year later, the Lakers clearly made the right move for immediate success with Los Angeles gearing up for what could be a title run in a truncated 2019-20 campaign.
With the Lakers primed for a long postseason run that many believe will end with the purple and gold lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the 17th time in the franchise's history, Davis may have found a new home for the long-term. However, it could also go in the other direction for the superstar as a lot can happen between now and when he can become an unrestricted free agent after this season concludes in October.
Davis' contract expires after this season making him one of the top free agents later this year. As of right now, the consensus is he'd be crazy to leave a situation like he has in Los Angeles with LeBron still playing at the top of his game, and the Lakers set up for contention next season as well.
Despite the ideal situation in Los Angeles, things can change quickly in the NBA, especially during this era of player empowerment, where stars change teams frequently. If Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and LeBron James have taught us anything, it is that players will act on their desires regardless of how good their current situation is with the team they're playing on.
Durant bolted for the Brooklyn Nets after winning two titles with the Golden State Warriors and didn't seem to blink an eye during the process. Irving joined him in Brooklyn following a forced departure with the Cleveland Cavaliers and a failed short stint with the Boston Celtics. Kawhi chose to leave the Toronto Raptors after leading them to their first NBA title in franchise history, while LeBron has famously changed teams multiple times, all of which were in championship contention on an annual basis.
Davis, however, won't have the same ready-made situations to go to if he chooses to ultimately leave the Lakers after this season. The only potentially appealing teams are ones that are typically linked to big-name players headed for free agency. The New York Knicks have been consistently mentioned as a possible destination due to the big stage and the fact they can pay him what he wants. The Chicago Bulls have also been a team speculated as a potential suitor for Davis as a result of his Windy City roots.
As it happens every single year with superstar free agents in the NBA, other teams are bound to emerge as intriguing destinations for Davis when he nears free agency. The fact remains, though. He won't find a better situation to pair with a superstar like LeBron with a team built to win now nor a big market that will embrace him like he'll have in Los Angeles.
The Lakers will go all out to sign Davis to a new contract when the time comes with the team's brass determined to compete for titles for the foreseeable future. They'll roll out the red carpet with LeBron waiting to hand him the pen to ink a deal, which will set up the potential for multiple titles runs for this dynamic duo that has taken the league by storm this year.
Outside of an epic collapse in the upcoming playoffs or some unexpected rift between the two superstars, Davis signing a long-term deal with any team other than the Lakers is asinine. Los Angeles will get his signature, and this team will be ready to dominate the league for at least the next few years.
As long as Pelinka and company can continue to surround Davis and James with talent, the Lakers could be heading into an era of dominance that rivals some of their best teams in franchise history. A lot needs to happen in the coming months, but Los Angeles is on track to secure the team's future with two superstars in tow.
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