The drama surrounding the Anthony Davis sweepstakes continues to ramp up just one week before the 2019 NBA Draft. As the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics continue to negotiate with the New Orleans Pelicans, New York Times reporter Marc Stein had reported that the Lakers would be unwilling to part ways with forward Kyle Kuzma.

But ESPN senior writer Ramona Shelburne has suggested that Kuzma would not be a dealbreaker in any trade for Davis, and that in fact Lonzo Ball might be the most important piece in any package:

https://twitter.com/ShowtimeForum/status/1139267742283042828

This is interesting on multiple fronts. For one, the Pelicans already have an All-Star caliber point guard in Jrue Holiday, who is under contract for at least two more seasons.

That said, Ball could play an important role in a potential three-team deal, especially if the Chicago Bulls look to stay involved in trying to land their point guard of the future.

The Pelicans could also elect to move Holiday to the shooting guard position as more of a combo guard while running Ball at the point, which would give them a tremendously long and lanky backcourt capable of making plays offensively and helping out on the glass.

Ball was initially part of the proposed deal that the Lakers offered to New Orleans before the February deadline, but the Pelicans rebuffed Los Angeles to see what they might be able to get for Davis this summer.

Whatever the case may be, both the Lakers and Celtics have a number of young assets that they could put forward, and it is likely that whichever team is willing to move the needle will have the better chance at landing Davis.