Lakers Pull off Trade for the Ages

Very seldom does a sports trade in today's social media-crazed society both fly under the radar and stun the entire sports landscape from the players, owners and fans alike. Yet the recent blockbuster trade between the (31-19) Los Angeles Lakers and (26-25) Dallas Mavericks did just that, leaving everyone who caught wind of the deal in utter disbelief even to this day now a week later. Just hours after the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 128-112 at the famed Madison Square Garden, the Lakers and Mavs agreed to a deal that sent Luka Doncic to L.A. for Anthony Davis. The trade initially surfaced on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, and was immediately assumed to be fake with initial reactions assuming someone had hacked ESPN's account. Once league sources confirmed the trade was in fact legit, the deal sent shockwaves that were unprecedented and unlike anything the NBA or any other major North American sports league has ever seen, marking the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other in the middle of the season. The trade was so big and so out of left field that it would even steal the spotlight as the talk of the town in the week leading up to the NFL's Super Bowl.

Once the smoke began to clear and we learned more about the trade details, things only got weirder as it was learned that the Lakers were the only team approached by the Mavericks regarding a trade for the 25-year-old Doncic. Dallas GM Nico Harrison says the conversation started weeks ago over coffee between him and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka before materializing and becoming a reality. This would come off as quite the surprise given Harrison who has been made out to be a complete fool, could've possibly gotten a bigger package in return elsewhere, or at the very least gotten other teams involved to create a bidding war to up the ante. It's also hard to believe that there would be a single team in the league that wouldn't at least kick the tires on acquiring a generational talent in the middle of his prime like Doncic. Instead, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka made out like a bandit in the night. Also included in the trade were the Utah Jazz. With power forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris also landing in L.A., the Lakers shipped guard Max Christie and their 2029 1st-Round Draft pick to Dallas. Meanwhile, Utah received guard Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers as well as 2025 2nd-Round picks from the Mavs and Los Angeles Clippers. The deal was so clandestine that Jazz GM and former Celtics legend Danny Ainge had no idea he was helping a former rival acquire Luka and by the time he got wind of it, it was too late. Who knows whether or not he might've pulled the plug on his team's involvement if he was aware of the trade details and the Lakers reaping the benefits. 

While the Lakers appear to have gotten away with highway robbery in the trade by making out with a player as young and as talented as Doncic, the Mavericks who are just a season removed from winning the West and making an NBA Finals appearance, do stack up very well on paper with the addition of Anthony Davis who now joins a lineup that also includes Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and Quentin Grimes. In acquiring Davis, Mavs GM Nico Harrison had this to say: "I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future." However, Mavs fans aren't buying it. Having held boycotts all week outside of the team's arena since the day the trade took place and demanding Harrison to be fired, the Mavericks have begun offering refunds to fans who cancelled their season ticket packages following the trade of their favorite player. But it doesn't end there. The team has had to beef up security for their front office staff due to death threats made by fans. The fact that the Mavs would ship out their best player has left many executives around the league puzzled. But Luka's conditioning or lack thereof is rumored to be one of the main reasons Dallas was willing to move on from him as the team was not exactly sold on committing a super max contact extension worth $345 Million due to his weight, lack of defense and his continuous head-butting with officials. 

Blindsided by the trade, Luka says he heard nothing from the Mavericks ownership or the coaches regarding a potential trade and thought that he would spend his entire NBA career with the franchise that drafted him 3rd overall in 2018. Luka admitted to crying when he got the news and was not the only one taken by surprise as his new teammate and idol LeBron James was out at dinner with his family in New York City when the news came across. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was getting ready to watch a movie with his wife when the news broke. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd also admitted to being unaware of the situation until the trade was already agreed upon. Former Mavs majority owner Mark Cuban shared a similar sentiment and said he was "confused" about the trade. Luka's father also criticized the Mavs organization for the way they went about the trade that will cost his family a few pretty pennies. Another heartbreaking aspect is the $15 Million mansion that Luka reportedly purchased in Dallas just days before being sent to Hollywood. While he can still sign a 5-year contract extension with the Lakers in the summer, Luka will miss out on $117 Million after the trade as he is no longer eligible for the $345 Million super max extension. 

Elsewhere, Laker fans won't have to think too hard into what life might look like after LeBron James decides to hang 'em up as they now have their new young superstar and a face of the franchise that they can build around. Anthony Davis was expected to be that guy, but with an lengthy injury history and six years older at the age of 31, it's safe to say Lakers GM Rob Pelinka made the right move. NBA's reigning scoring champion from a season ago (33.9 PPG), Luka has made five All-Star Games and has been named to the All-NBA First Team five times already in his young career. In comparison, Davis who is a 10-time All-Star has been named to the All-NBA First Team only four times despite being in the league nearly twice as long as the younger Doncic. The Slovenian-born superstar will be at the forefront of the Lakers' future plans in the franchise's changing of the guard with only two players on the roster over the age of 27 at the time of the trade. Ranked third all-time averaging 28.6 points-per-game throughout his career, Luka is averaging 28.1 PPG on the season and will now be coached by his former Dallas teammate JJ Redick who is in his first year at the helm in L.A. and spent his final NBA season alongside Doncic in 2020-21. Doncic was quick to win over the hearts of fans in L.A. after the Luka Doncic Foundation, which was launched in December, donated $500K to the wildfire relief efforts that devastated much of the area just last month. 

As for Davis who is averaging 25.7 PPG and 12.0 rebounds, his departure from the Lakers will be bittersweet as the often-injured big man had entered the season coming off his best year yet in terms of games played with 76 starts a year ago. A perennial All-Star, Davis was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team 5-times and was consistently named a finalist for the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award despite never taking home the hardware. AD helped the Lakers capture the NBA title during the Covid-plagued 2019-20 season in his first year with the team after coming over from the New Orleans Pelicans via trade. As shocking as the news was for Davis, he did waive his $5.9 Million trade kicker as part of the deal, giving his new club some flexibility. Unfortunately, Davis did have to leave the game early when making his Mavericks debut after suffering an abductor strain that will keep him sidelined for multiple weeks and might even require surgery. Prior to leaving the court, Davis was off to an impressive start with his new team, scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in 31 minutes. After the trade and before Davis's injury, the Mavericks saw their playoff chances drop to 57.2 percent according to ESPN analytics. Meanwhile, the chances of the Lakers making the playoffs jumped to 96.5 percent. Adding insult to injury, the final grades given by ESPN for each team's involvement in the trade included an F for the Mavs, a B for the Jazz and an A for the Lakers. 

While time will tell who the ultimate winner of the trade will be, all early signs are pointing to the Lakers who have once again relied on acquiring superstar talent via the trade market. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant are just a few names that come to mind who have landed with the Lakers via trade over the course of history and have made quite the impact. Luka is the latest player who will have a shot at cementing his legacy and forever etching his name into Laker lore. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

Lakers Add former All-Star Drummond for Playoff Push

The defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers have had a rough go around with injury issues in 2021, much to be expected due to the quick turnaround and shortened offseason following the team's title run back in October. With just 72 days in-between seasons, the shortest offseason in the history of the four major sports in the United States, it's no surprise that many of the league's best players have fallen victim to the injury bug at one point or another. And no team has felt that wrath worse than the defending champs themselves. As the NBA trade deadline came and went on Thursday without the Lakers making any noise, the team was fortunate enough to strike gold elsewhere on the free-agent market. 

With teams jockeying for position in the NBA arms race, the Lakers, standing at a record of 30-17, received some much needed help with the acquisition of All-Star center Andre Drummond just in time for their upcoming playoff push. Acquired on Sunday after clearing waivers just days after the trade deadline, Drummond spent nearly eight seasons in Detroit where he was named to an All-Star team twice, before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Drummond's services became available after his contract was bought out by the Cavs who decided to sit the former 9th overall pick in favor of devoting more playing time to the younger Jarrett Allen as Cleveland enters yet another rebuild. But like the saying goes: one team's trash is another team's treasure. In need of another interior presence to ease the load off of last year's 6th Man of the Year in Montrezl Harrell and 10-day contract recipient Damian Jones who have both been summoned to fill the void left by Marc Gasol who had missed nine games while battling COVID issues, Drummond will be called upon to start at center and should be able to contribute right away. Especially in the absence of superstars LeBron James (high ankle sprain) and Anthony Davis (right calf injury), who have missed 5 and 19 games, respectively. Since Davis' absence on February 14, the team has been on somewhat of a freefall, dropping 10 of 19 games and falling from the Western Conference's top seed to the fourth seed. With James out for at least another two to three weeks and no timetable set just yet for Davis' return, the Lakers need help outside of the usual suspects i.e. Kyle Kuzma and Dennis Schroeder and they need it now to stay afloat in the extremely competitive Western Conference. 

Having sat out since February 12, Drummond will need to get his feet back underneath him after averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 25 starts before his benching and ultimately his release from the Cavs. Drummond has led the league in rebounds on four separate occasions and has finished in the top 2 for seven straight seasons, while also leading all centers in steals over the past 4 seasons. The former UCONN product also does a superior job on the offensive boards, having led the league in offensive rebounds in each of the last 7 seasons. Another strong point of his is second-chance points which Drummond has led the league in five times. As for this season, although a small sample size, Drummond is second in the league in rebounds per game, behind only Atlanta's Clint Capela, and third in offensive boards per game with 4.0. A stat the Lakers and head coach Frank Vogel will surely welcome with open arms as they currently rank 9th in the league in rebounding, but just 17th in offensive rebounds. With a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup and the addition of Drummond, the Lakers should see their chances of defending their NBA title catapult back to the top. With the 7th-highest career rebounding average in NBA history (13.5), the newest Laker will make his team debut with the purple and gold tonight at 7pm when they take on the (29-17) Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center in L.A. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Back on Top, Lakers Reign in Rollercoaster Season

For the first time since 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers are atop the basketball world as NBA Champions. After beating the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 in a best-of-seven series,  the Lakers claimed their seventeenth NBA title in franchise history, tying the arch-rival Boston Celtics for the most all-time. But unlike those 33 other titles won by Celtics and Lakers teams of the past, this year's champion was unlike any we've ever seen before. Even those teams that featured such all-time greats as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or even Kobe and Shaq just to name a few, never had to play through a global pandemic and go through the gauntlet of the unknown by competing in the NBA's bubble like these Los Angeles Lakers did. Having to sacrifice normal everyday life as well as time at home with their families and even home-court advantage, the purple and gold proved to be much more than just a team, but rather a band of brothers and a true family under first-year head coach Frank Vogel's tutelage. 

Spearheaded by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers proved to be the most resilient team in the league after fighting thru the untimely and tragic death of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, not to mention not one, but two stoppages caused by the novel corona virus and the social injustices that have plagued our country. Despite it all, the Lakers fulfilled their mission of bringing home another Larry O'Brien Trophy and concluded their 95-day stay in the NBA bubble as world champions. Even before the earth-rattling passing of arguably the most beloved Laker of them all in Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show were deemed 'championship or bust' this year, following the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Anthony Davis from the Big Easy to Tinsletown. The death of the Lakers legend in January would only add to the immense pressure of winning a title in 2020 as the team was suddenly left with a cloud of unfair expectations hovering over them. But never once did the team let those lofty expectations get the best of them, instead they used them to fuel their inner-fire and drive to a championship. Something not many of these Lakers had accomplished outside of James, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Quinn Cook and JaVale McGee. That meant first-time champions Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, just to name a few, all needed to pitch-in and contribute. 

Title No. 17 was also very different from the previous sixteen in the fact that it was the first title the team won in Los Angeles under the reign of controlling owner Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss who passed away in 2013. With Jeanie picked as the chosen one out of Dr. Buss' six children to take the throne and oversee the Lakers franchise in his absence, Jeanie took what her father taught her about operating a franchise and ran with it, hand-picking Rob Pelinka as the team's general-manager and becoming the first female team owner to win a title in NBA history. After the team snapped its agonizing seven-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise-history, the team then put an end to its ten-year Finals drought in grand fashion. Since the turn of the millennium, the Lakers have now won NBA titles to start each of the last three decades with championships in 2000, 2010 and now 2020. Considering where the franchise was just two years prior, filled with turmoil both on and off the court and failing to attract the All-Star talent that the team and its fanbase has grown accustomed to signing over the years, this year's Lakers team was a far cry as they finally broke through thanks to the stellar work done by GM Rob Pelinka. 

After getting LeBron James to buy-in and make the switch from the Eastern Conference and his hometown team Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer of 2018 via free-agency before realizing the young crop of talent around him was not best suited to play alongside the king, Pelinka worked his magic by practically trading the farm for another superstar in Anthony Davis. Re-signing point-guard Rajon Rondo and bringing in center Dwight Howard for a second stint with the Lakers, often off the bench, as well as hiring a hungry, defensive-minded head coach in Frank Vogel, proved to be the active ingredients needed to get this team back to their title-winning ways. In his seventeenth NBA season, the 36-year old LeBron James who won his fourth career NBA title and fourth career Finals MVP, delivered on his promise to Laker fans that he'd help right the ship and get this once proud franchise back to prominence. With the Miami Heat making their first Finals appearance since 2014 when James was still a member of the team alongside close friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, James nearly averaged a triple-double against his former team on his way to becoming the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises. 

Flying home to L.A. on Monday before being met by duel firetrucks on the tarmac and some several thousand fans, the Lakers had their fair share of fun and bubbly inside the team's locker room, but will have to wait on celebrating with the rest of Laker Nation and the city of Los Angeles, at least for now while L.A. County and the state of California still currently face strict social distancing guidelines that discourages large gatherings, something this Laker team will undoubtedly attract once they're able. As for the upcoming 2020-21 season ahead, not much is known regarding the NBA Draft, the NBA Summer League, whether there'll be fans in attendance or even whether or not it'll take place in another bubble. One thing that is known, however, is that the Lakers will need to strike a deal at the executives table with free-agent to-be Anthony Davis, who will certainly break the bank, most likely returning to the Lakers who can offer him a max-contract. Other notable Laker free-agents include Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, as well as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Avery Bradley whom all have player options.  

As for the legacy and ever expanding resume of one LeBron James, here's a piece I did pre-bubble on his bid for all-time greatness. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Lakers pull trigger, Trade for Anthony Davis

For the second straight season, the Los Angeles Lakers have made a major splash during the NBA offseason by reaching an agreement to acquire the most coveted piece available on the market. While it was the acquisition of LeBron James that took the league by storm and shook the landscape of the league's signature franchise last season via free-agency, this time around it was a move made by trade that enabled the Lakers to acquire their newest member just days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals. Joining James and company in Tinseltown for the upcoming 2019-20 NBA season will be six-time All-Star and former first overall pick Anthony Davis who was acquired over the weekend from the New Orleans Pelicans. Though pairing LeBron with the talented 26-year old big man is the latest step in the Lakers' efforts to end their longest postseason drought in franchise history, it didn't come cheap as they certainly paid a hefty price in return.

In exchange for the three-time All-NBA swingman, the Lakers sent a package deal to the Big Easy that included PG Lonzo Ball, SF Brandon Ingram, SG Josh Hart and three first round picks, including the No. 4 pick in next week's Draft. Add those names and picks to a roster that already includes former Laker Julius Randle and All-Star guard Jrue Holiday and will soon add Duke sensation and consensus No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, and the Pelicans appear to have themselves a nice little squad of their own. The deal which can't be made official until July 6, is a major win for a Pelicans franchise that would've seen Davis walk via free-agency following the 2019-20 season otherwise. While the Lakers did ship off many of their young assets, they did however manage to hang onto forward Kyle Kuzma who has easily been the most productive player among L.A.'s young core over the past two seasons and was initially believed to be one of the main pieces the Pelicans were asking for in the package deal. And as if the Lakers weren't already in win now mode given the window is closing more rapidly than ever for James who will be entering his age 35 season and the second year of his 4-year, $153.3 Million dollar pact with the team, the addition of Davis coupled with a pair of key injuries suffered by the Warriors' Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson could result in a major shift in power out West.

While the race for Anthony Davis appeared to be only a three-team race between the Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, L.A. proved to be the only team with enough ammunition willing to pull the trigger. While the Knicks simply didn't have enough assets to garner the Pelicans' attention, Boston's unwillingness to include the promising young talent of Jayson Tatum made the Lakers' offer the most attractive as they eventually came out as the winners in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. However, the Lakers' reloading phase won't stop there as they'll now focus their attention on acquiring another possible max-contract player with such names as Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving leading the charge. Or could it be someone who's slipped under the radar like Jimmie Butler? While it remains uncertain who will be joining LeBron and Davis in the purple & gold for the upcoming season, one thing that is certain is that newly hired head coach Frank Vogel's Lakers team saw their stock rise just moments after the trade news broke, as they currently sit as the odds on favorite to win the NBA title next season at 7-2 according to the Caesars Sportsbook in Las Vegas.

But for now, the trade serves as some long awaited good news for Lakerland following a tumultuous season both on and off the court for the once proud Lakers organization that has had its fair share of bumps and bruises and has been rather out of wack over the past 6 months. From the botched trade to land A.D. down the stretch before the NBA trade deadline that sent the team into a downward spiral, to the firing of head coach Luke Walton, to the very publicized rocky relationship between front-office officials which ultimately led to Magic Johnson stepping down and resigning from his position as the team's president of basketball operations, and everything in between.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest