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The Los Angeles Lakers finally brought in Anthony Davis, giving them arguably the best superstar tandem in the league. After waiting on Kawhi Leonard only to see him sign with their Staples Center rivals, the Lakers did well to fill out the roster choosing from a shallow pool of available free agents. Even so, that's apparently not enough for Los Angeles to be ranked among the league's top-five teams.
The Lakers ranked sixth in ESPN's newest power rankings, behind the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Houston Rockets. The Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, and Toronto Raptors round out the top 10.
Los Angeles began its offseason by acquiring Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks. The team faced criticism for deciding to slow play its dip into free agency by waiting for Leonard to make a decision on his future, and indeed took a major hit when he decided to return home but sign with the Clippers, bringing Paul George along with him. But the Lakers rebounded quickly, filling a major need on the wing with Danny Green, then signing Quinn Cook, DeMarcus Cousins, Avery Bradley, and Troy Daniels. They brought back Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee, too.
First-year coach Frank Vogel has a major challenge ahead of him. Los Angeles is short on two-way wings and threatening playmakers, and Davis' stated preference to play power forward further complicates rotation matters. For the first time in years, though, the rebuilt Lakers have realistic championship hopes – along with many other teams.
