Lakers, Pelicans, agree on Anthony Davis trade
Peñalosa faces tough test in July
NEW ORLEANS-- Anthony Davis will wind up with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers
DAVE Peñalosa takes on what should be the stiffest test of his career thus far. A fight that should determine his future in the sport.
“This is a big test for him. If he gets through this, I see him becoming a (world) champion,” Dave’s uncle and promoter Gerry Peñalosa told SunStar.
Dave, 28, challenges South African Lerato Dlamini for the latter’s World Boxing Council (WBC) International featherweight belt in the after all.
The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade the disgruntled Davis to the main features of a boxing show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 12, 2019.
The fight card will be headlined by Amir Khan versus Neeraj Goyat.
“(This will determine) if he’s the real deal,” said Gerry, a two-division world champion in his boxing days.
Dave just passed his most recent test with flying colors after stopping Mexican veteran Marcos Cardenas in four rounds last Feb. 16 at the SM City North Edsa Skydome in Quezon City. Lakers for point guard Lonzo Ball, forward Brandon Ingram, shooting guard Josh Hart and three firstround
Dlamini should be a step up in competition for Dave.
Dlamini won his WBC International belt with a split decision over Sydney Maluleka in April 2018. Six months later, he captured the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental Africa featherweight belt with a points victory over Haidari Mchanjo. He also owns a win over former world champion Simpiwe Vetyeka, who he beat by majority decision in 2017.
“He’s (Dlamini) a very draft choices, several people familiar with the situation said Saturday. good boxer,” warned Gerry.
Both Dave and Dlamini are world-ranked in the featherweight class.
Dave, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight titleholder, is rated 12th in the WBO and 15th in the IBF. Dlamini, in the meantime, is rated 11th in the WBC and 14th in the IBF.
Dave is unbeaten with a record of 15-0 with 11 knockouts, while Dlamini is 12-1 with six knockouts. (EKA)
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins July 6. ESPN first reported the trade.
The deal ends a nearly fivemonth saga that became an awkward NBA sideshow, arguably derailed the Lakers’ push to make the playoffs and even cost people jobs after Davis requested a trade in late January through his agent, Rich Paul, who also represents James.
Now the 26-year-old Davis, a six-time All-Star, will bring his dynamic, up-tempo, above-the-rim play to Hollywood alongside the 34-year-old James, a threetime NBA champion and Finals regular.
In return, the Pelicans receive the promise of a young core the Lakers are blowing up in order to make the deal, as well as the opportunity to add more; New Orleans already had the first pick overall in Thursday’s draft and will have the Lakers’ fourth overall choice, giving new basketball operations chief David Griffin the chance to add another top-tier prospect to his presumed first pick of Duke star Zion Williamson.
It remains to be seen, however, how well Ingram will recover from a blood clot that sidelined him for part of last season. He was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in March.
The Lakers and Pelicans missed the playoffs last season and Davis’ trade demand caused a palpable degree of acrimony between the clubs as the Lakers publicly pursued a deal and the Pelicans asked the NBA to look into the possibility of a tampering violation.
After the trade deadline passed with no deal, Davis finished out the season as a lame-duck All-Star who at times heard boos and insults during home games and the Pelicans fired then-general manager Dell Demps. Several Lakers players acknowledged they had been shaken by thoughts of their possibly imminent departure, and resulting losses slid them out of playoff position at midseason.
Getting the deal done became a near-imperative for general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss after the Lakers’ latest round of front-office drama. On the final day of their franchise-record sixth straight non-playoff season, president of basketball operations Magic Johnson abruptly quit his job and criticized Pelinka for talking behind his back.
Johnson couldn’t resist another backhanded shot at Pelinka on Saturday with a telling series of tweets that began: “Great job by Owner Jeanie Buss bringing Anthony Davis to the Lakers!”
With the Pelicans’ front office now run by Griffin, whose relationship with James dates to the championship they won together in Cleveland in 2016, relations between the two franchises warmed enough to complete a trade that will ripple throughout the NBA. It will affect the offseason plans of a number of other teams — namely, the Boston Celtics, who actively sought to acquire Davis and had an arsenal of young talent and draft picks to potentially include in a deal. AP