Lots of moving parts in Lakers’ Davis deal
LOS ANGELES— The details of the blockbuster trade that will make Anthony Davis a Los Angeles Laker are still being sorted out. Chief among them: the timing of the trade.
For now, the plan is to execute the trade on July 6, right after the moratorium ends on the start of free agency — and while both sides are open to moving the date, it’s unlikely that will change.
July 6 is the soonest the trade can be legally completed, and would require the Lakers to trade the NBA draft rights of the No. 4 pick, rather than the player’s contract. It would also leave the Lakers without enough salary-cap space to sign another free agent to a maximum contract. If Davis declines to waive his $4-million (U.S.) trade kicker, it would leave the Lakers with a little more than $23 million in cap space.
On the other hand, because of salary cap rules, if the trade is consummated in late July, the Lakers would have the space to add another maximum contract. That cap space could be used on players such as Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker, allstar point guards who will be free agents.
That scenario would require the Lakers to draft the fourth overall pick for the New Orleans Pelicans, or whatever team has its rights by the time of the draft, then sign that player as quickly as possible. League rules do not allow a signed draft pick to be traded for 30 days, which would make July 20 the earliest date the trade could be consummated.
Although the Pelicans are open to working with the Lakers and delaying the trade, it’s unlikely that will happen, according to multiple sources. New Orleans’ priority will be to make the fourth pick as attractive as possible to another team in hopes of acquiring a veteran player. It’s likely that whatever team they trade the fourth pick to will want the player as quickly as possible, and will want him to play at the Las Vegas Summer League, which will be held from July 5 to 15. If the Pelicans opt to keep the pick, they might also want him to participate in summer league.
Whenever it happens, the Lakers will be sending a massive bounty to the Pelicans. In addition to the fourth overall pick, they’re sending two firstrounders and the right to swap another with the Pelicans. They’ll also send Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.