Considering the countless ways in which the blockbuster trade between the Lakers and Pelicans can be viewed, it’s no surprise that both praise and criticism have been heaped in equal measure. From the vantage points of the dramatis personae, however, there can be no questioning the necessity of the deal pushing through. For one quarter, it represents the consummation of a pursuit for a superstar that was highly publicized and thereby resulted in bruised egos and fractured chemistry. For the other, it provides an opportunity to minimize the pain normally associated with reboots. Simply put, a win-win situation was reached, making the development a rarity in the cutthroat National Basketball Association.
For the Lakers, the impending arrival of all-world Anthony Davis underscores their continued relevance, but for all the right reasons. Even as franchise annals are littered with examples of headline-hogging acquisitions, their less-than-respectable showing on and off the court in recent memory appeared to rob their name of significant luster. Their 2018-19 campaign closed with a whimper and resulted in a sixth straight absence from the playoffs. Meanwhile, they suffered from trade-deadline stumbles, top management upheaval, and a poorly executed coaching transition. And yet, the embarrassments they were subjected to failed to prevent them from ultimately claiming their target.
There is still much to be done for the Lakers, to be sure. They had to gut their roster for Davis, leaving them with just five players under contract after their agreement with the Pelicans is formalized. The grapevine has them still on the prowl for a third marquee name, but the legitimacy of their effort depends on timing. Depending on when they get to include The Brow on their payroll, and hinging on his appetite for waiving a $4-million trade kicker, they will have anywhere from $23 to $32 million to play around with. The cachet will be good for one max-salary slot (to offer, say, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, or Jimmy Butler) or a couple of mid-level free agents (among them J.J. Redick, Malcolm Brogdon, and Danny Green), and then rounded out by scrubs on scale.
Nonetheless, the Lakers cannot but be considered legitimate contenders, especially with the West wide open following the de facto weakening of the otherwise-dominant Warriors. If nothing else, their odds in Las Vegas reflect the dramatic rise in their estimation; as spotty as their immediate future may be, they’re now 3/1 favorites to claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy this time next year. Indeed, Davis is that good, and his partnership with James guarantees the purple and gold an unparalleled inside-out presence.
Whether the Lakers manage to meet outsized expectations is anybody’s guess. If there’s anything the 2019 postseason proved, it’s that absolutely nothing can be etched in stone. That said, this much is clear: They’re back in business.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operation and Human Resources management, corporate communications and business development.
