New Orleans Pelicans Deal Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers

On Saturday afternoon, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (“WOJ”) dropped a huge bomb regarding Anthony Davis. In a turn of events, the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to deal Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. In exchange, the Pelicans will receive Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the Lakers fourth overall pick in the draft, and two additional first round picks. With the deal apparently done, any hopes of the New York Knicks getting Davis can be quietly put to bed.

This has been a long time coming

The Lakers seemed to be the front runner for Davis since the start. LeBron James made it clear that about half way through the season he wanted Davis to help him bring back Showtime. However, the Knicks seemed to have a fighting chance due to the likelihood that they would receive a high draft pick. When it was confirmed that New York would indeed be taking home the third overall pick, speculation pointed at a deal for Davis. However, it appeared that the pick alone would not be enough to entice New Orleans. A package of Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox also seemed to not really move the ball for the Pelicans. Thus, with the Lakers willing to go all in, Anthony Davis found a new home in Los Angeles.

The Knicks Need to Deliver

For some New York fans, this may seem like a defeat. However, for others, it was a logical conclusion. As great of a player as Anthony Davis is and would be for New York, fans are tired of watching their team throw away young talent in the hope of winning now. Add the high possibility of landing two stars in the off-season, the necessity of getting Davis dwindled. Now, as far as reports are concerned, it appears that the Knicks will stick with their draft pick, which could very well turn out to be R.J. Barrett. Prior to Zion Williamson’s splash on the scene, Barrett was projected to be the number one overall pick. Thus, New York still may be in good shape.

With the Anthony Davis drama out of the way, the Knicks now have only one mission: get two superstars. That mission assumes, of course, that the team doesn’t screw up on draft night and miss out on Barrett. Additionally, as our own Chris Passarelli recently wrote, one of the superstars the Knicks chase doesn’t necessarily have to be Kevin Durant, especially given his recent injury. The team isn’t lacking any options. Either way, with Davis off the table, fans will demand a strong showing in free agency this summer. The front office needs to deliver.

In Conclusion

Some things are just not meant to be. That clearly includes Anthony Davis calling Madison Square Garden his home. With this news, though, the Knicks are now freed from the hassle of trying to land a third superstar. Now, all New York has to do is draft accordingly and go all in on free agency. With draft night around the corner, fans will have to wait and see what the team pulls off.