The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to add another superstar-caliber player to pair with LeBron James. The Lakers are being linked to Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, and Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, but another potential target has emerged heading into the 2018-19 NBA season.
New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis will likely be linked to the Lakers in the next several months. There is growing speculation that Davis will eventually force his way out of the Pelicans to join a team where he can compete for a championship.
Anthony Davis's change of agent fuels Lakers rumors
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Davis decided to end ties with longtime agent Thad Foucher. While nothing is official at this point because there are still paperwork to be done to finalize the move, Davis reportedly forged an agreement with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
The reported move fueled speculation that Davis will express a desire to move to the Los Angeles Lakers. The 25-year-old superstar still has two years left in his contract worth $52 million and a player option for the 2020-21 season.
A trade is the only way to make the Davis-to-Lakers scenario happen at least in the next two seasons. However, the new partnership between Davis and Paul will likely lead to a major move, and the Lakers are expected to be in the discussion.
Paul also represents LeBron James and is one of the trusted personalities of the new Lakers superstar.
Bill Simmons of The Ringer agreed that the reported partnership between Paul and Davis is a sign of things to come. Simmons said that the if the move is true, the "Lakers should start selling" jersey of Davis soon.
The battle for Davis a two-way race between the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics
While the Lakers are now in a good position to acquire Davis, it will likely be easier said than done. The Lakers have an extra roster spot and could create cap room for Davis, but a move to acquire him will likely force them to give up one of their young superstars, which could hurt the depth of the team.
It is also worth noting that Davis is still heavily linked to the Boston Celtics, according to Daily Star UK. The Celtics have the assets to pull off a trade for Davis. Boston has young talents and attractive picks to offer, including the 2019 first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings.
If Davis wants to win, the Celtics will be among the top options as well because they have a loaded roster led by Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. It is also worth noting that a path to the NBA Finals will likely be easier in the Eastern Conference after James decided to move to the Western Conference after dominating the East in the past eight seasons.
