It’s no longer a secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are salivating over the prospect of bringing New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis over to Hollywood via a trade. What’s not initially defined was the configuration of the trade package the Lakers are willing to give up.
That changes now, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news that the Lakers’ original offer to the Pelicans consisted of point guard Lonzo Ball, second-year forward Kyle Kuzma, and a pair of veterans in Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, to go with a first-round pick.
in the Lakers first offer to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, LA offered Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and a first-round pick, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 2, 2019
There’s a lot to digest from this news but it seems that the Pelicans are not budging. In a follow-up update, Wojnarowski reported that New Orleans is unmoved by anything the Lakers have come up with so far.
As the NBA trade deadline approaches on Thursday, Lakers have yet to offer multiple first-round picks in any deal, or salary cap relief, league sources tell ESPN. Lakers offering several different deal ideas, but none serious enough for a Pelicans counter yet, sources said.
With the Lakers failing to impress the New Orleans’ front office, it improved the chances of other teams to land Davis, who’s obviously the biggest trade target prior to the trade deadline. If Davis remains a Pelican past the trade deadline, there’s a chance – and a clear incentive – for New Orleans to sit him for the remainder of the season.
Rondo and Beasley have expiring contracts, so the two veteran’s inclusion in the said offer was meant to give the Pelicans cap relief in the summer, but as Bobby Marks of ESPN says, it does not make a lot of sense, considering that Davis has a live contract until the end of the 2020-21 season.
The same package that LAL is offering will be there this summer except Rondo/Beasley is replaced with cap space. If Anthony Davis was on an expiring contract, maybe this makes sense. But he’s not.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 2, 2019
The Lakers are back to drawing board, but there’s still time for them to make a more convincing package for the Pelicans.
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