Our NBA insiders are debating the biggest topics in the league. Sports Illustrated senior writers Chris Mannix and Howard Beck revisit the Anthony Davis trade nearly four years later.
Chris Mannix: Howard, can you believe it has been three and a half years since the Pelicans shipped Anthony Davis to Los Angeles for Brandon Ingram and every draft asset the Lakers could fork over? Los Angeles saw immediate returns, winning a title in AD’s first season as a Laker. The Pelicans’ post-Davis road was bumpy—three coaches in four seasons, win totals in the 30s and years of speculation as to whether Zion Williamson’s body would ever allow him to showcase his undeniable talent—but this season it has all come together. So I ask you this: Who won the trade?
Howard Beck: Wow, sooo many layers to this deal. And so many ways to judge it. And man, let me tell you: We will almost definitely be judging it, over and over, as the Pelicans keep collecting those draft picks and pick swaps, including the pick that—if all goes horribly wrong in Lakerland—might just turn into Victor Wembanyama next June. NBA Twitter might just melt down if that happens (well, assuming Twitter hasn’t already imploded). But, with a few caveats, I’m going to stand by what I wrote at the time of the AD deal, in June 2019: that the Lakers won the trade but lost the negotiation. They won, because the team that gets the best player—in this case, a young, perennial All-Star with MVP potential—wins almost by definition. And the Lakers got the desired result: a championship in ’20. Did they surrender far too much in the trade? I argued at the time that they did, and I still believe that’s true. (Reminder: The Lakers gave up Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter, two future first-round picks and a pick swap.) Davis and the Lakers had all the leverage, since he was a pending free agent who was determined to land in L.A. and told other suitors he’d refuse to re-sign with them. So the Lakers arguably should have been able to get him for less. They did overpay. But they got their championship, and isn’t that the whole point of the exercise?
