Lakers Roster & Lineup if Anthony Davis Traded for Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma

The day Los Angeles Lakers fans have waited all season for has finally arrived, as Anthony Davis made it known he wants a trade on Monday. While the New Orleans Pelicans star is looking to be moved, the start of the talks for the Lakers didn’t begin quite how many fans had hoped, though.

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, Davis’ agent, informed the Pelicans that the All-Star would not sign a contract extension and wants to be dealt. In turn, this opens the door for the Lakers to make their move for Davis and potentially offer a blockbuster deal.

“Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him a chance to win consistently and compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “Anthony wanted to be honest and clear with his intentions and that’s the reason for informing them of this decision now. That’s in the best interests of both Anthony’s and the organization’s future.”

The only problem is that the original thoughts/hopes around a Lakers-Pelicans trade for Davis have already had a bit of cold water thrown on them. In the early stages, it seemed the Lakers could have a chance to make a push for Davis with a package built around Brandon Ingram. That apparently no longer seems to be the case, as the Pelicans are reportedly demanding far more.

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Pelicans’ Trade Demands From Lakers for Anthony Davis

As Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported, the Lakers would need to “start” a deal with Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac, and a No. 1 draft pick. As far as what it would take beyond that, it’s set to remain a hot-button topic.

Obviously, this is just the early stages of talks, but it’s a huge haul and one the Lakers may not consider. On the other hand, the team has made it known how big their push for a second star to pair with LeBron James will be moving forward. So, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the front office is looking at this possible deal.

If the Lakers were to take this deal for Davis, it would leave them with a shortage of depth, although there are options in free agency to fill out the roster. One of which, of course, is Carmelo Anthony, who’s consistently been linked to the Lakers.

Let’s take a look at how the potential blockbuster deal could leave the Lakers roster, although it’s worth noting that there is surely more negotiating to be done beyond this.

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Lakers Roster & Lineup Post-Blockbuster Anthony Davis Trade

Position	Expected Starter	Backup
Center	Anthony Davis	Tyson Chandler	JaVale McGee
Power Forward	LeBron James	Michael Beasley	Moritz Wagner
Small Forward	Brandon Ingram	Josh Hart
Shooting Guard	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
Point Guard	Rajon Rondo	Lance Stephenson

The Lakers would certainly lose quite a bit of depth, but the biggest impact would come after the season. Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Beasley, Tyson Chandler, and JaVale McGee are all currently in the final year of their deals. Even with the above depth chart, the Lakers would be able to add a few pieces this season and instantly become a major title contender.

From there, the front office would essentially need to begin a rebuild around James, Davis, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart. Fortunately, Los Angeles would be an even more appealing destination than previously, as the championship chances for the Lakers increase drastically, even with losses of Ball, Kuzma and Zubac.

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