While they are still one of the top teams favored to land controversial big man Anthony Davis, things can get quite hard for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. For the most part, they will contend with the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks and, if ever, the New Orleans Pelicans for the right to sign AD.
Be that as it may, and if the basketball gods decide to shun away from the Lakers, the team can still explore and "alternative" trade outside of Davis. According to Sporting News' Sean Deveney, "league sources" are pitting LA to be "targeting" other players if ever they drop from the Davis sweepstakes.
Among those under the Lakers radar is Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. Acquiring Beal however might be tricky; a separate source said that the Wizards have yet to hire a new General Manager, and putting the 2-time All-Star on the trading block might be tricky.
Another is Kyle Lowry. Deveney sees the Raptors guard on the free agency pool if Toronto loses 2-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard. The 33-year old is a "surprise target" and the Lakers can bring him aboard "for a relatively limited outgoing package."
Rounding up the list is Utah Jazz's Derrick Favors. The Power Forward/Center had a solid season with the Jazz where he averaged around 12 points, 7 rebounds and shooting a career-best 59% from the field. While Favors is not "Unibrow" level, the 10-year veteran can still have a spot on the Lakers rotation. New head coach Frank Vogel can utilize him as a role player off the bench, but LA can oversee him and look for a more formidable All-Star.
Aside from Davis, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard will highlight the free agency list this summer, provided that their current teams match their offers. The Lakers can take their chances, yes, but it will still mean that several of their young guns will be traded.
Should the Lakers explore these prospected players and move on from their Davis melodrama, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball will have more room to grow and live up to their respective expectations. They make up the Lakers' youth and will still rely on LeBron James as their focal point and mentor.
Davis meanwhile will have the option to remain as a Pelican and play alongside Zion Williamson provided that the team will pick college superstar. If he still persistent on being traded, AD is rumored to sign with the Knicks. As an exchange, New York will include in their trade package their No. 3 pick, which is presumably RJ Barret. By this, it will be reunion of sorts in New Orleans since Williamson and Barret are both Blue Devils Standouts.
