Anthony Davis
AP Photo

After a long and drawn-out process, the Los Angeles Lakers have finally acquired Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James are together at last. The Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans were finally able to reach a deal after negotiations that date back to January.

The Lakers are sending the Pelicans three draft picks (including this year’s No. 4), Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was the first to report the news.

That might seem like an awful lot to trade away for one player, but Davis is the type of generational talent that is worth the haul. When he’s at his best, Davis is a top-five player in the NBA.

This changes the landscape of the league in a major way. After a disappointing first season with LeBron and the embarrassing Magic Johnson situation, the Lakers were the laughingstock of the league. But James and Davis could be the best duo in the entire league. Los Angeles is in prime position to strike while the Golden State Warriors lick their wounds.

Although he wasn’t a free agent, Davis was one of the superstars “available” this summer. The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets were both rumored to have interest in Davis, but both organizations ultimately backed off.

The Knicks had draft picks and young players, but some in the organization believed that a Davis trade would just be a repeat of the Carmelo Anthony trade from the early 2010s.

For Brooklyn, a trade was possible, but it was always going to be difficult. Working D’Angelo Russell into a sign-and-trade would have taken some serious gymnastics from general manager Sean Marks.

The Knicks and Nets will pivot towards the draft (June 20) and the start of free agency (June 30).

NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.