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Los Angeles Lakers: Why 2019 might be the only chance to win a title

By Jason Reed

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) NBA players Anthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Lakers Executive Administrator, Player Programs and Logistics, Randy Mims attend Game Four of the 2019 WNBA Playoff semifinals between the Washington Mystics and the Las Vegas Aces at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on September 24, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mystics defeated the Aces 94-90 and won the series 3-1. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) NBA players Anthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Lakers Executive Administrator, Player Programs and Logistics, Randy Mims attend Game Four of the 2019 WNBA Playoff semifinals between the Washington Mystics and the Las Vegas Aces at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on September 24, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mystics defeated the Aces 94-90 and won the series 3-1. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. There is no viable plan B if Davis walks

Anthony Davis never seemed to be the Los Angeles Lakers’ plan A, although they ended up with the better player. The orginal plan for the Lakers seemed to be to sign both LeBron and Paul George in the summer of 2018, which obviously did not pan out.

It took a series of reports, trade requests and various other things for the Lakers to eventually land Anthony Davis. They exhausted all other options, and now, Davis is the only plan that the Lakers have. There is no plan B.

The team taxed its future to get Davis. Not only did they trade three young assets that will blossom into talented players, but they sent a slew of draft picks. 2020 and 2022 are the only years in the immediate future in which the Pelicans do not either have the rights to the Lakers’ pick or the right to pick swap.

And if the Lakers are picking in the late 20s in 2021 then the Pelicans can transfer those rights to 2022, hoping that the team implodes and they get a lottery pick. Unless LA gets really lucky with their late-round drafting or when they are in the lottery (if Davis leaves), then they are pretty screwed.

This is made worse by the fact that there are no great free agents next summer. There are a few guys, such as Gordon Hayward and DeMar DeRozan, that could decline their player option and become free agents, but neither of them has a reason to do so.

The best outright free agents are Kyle Lowry and Paul Millsap. That is not going to cut it.

The only way the Lakers could have any sort of plan B is if Davis wants to go to a team that does not have the cap and the Lakers execute a sign-and-trade, similar to what the Golden State Warriors did with Kevin Durant and D’Angelo Russell.

But even that is a foggy situation that likely would not pan out as they would not get much star power in return. It really is Davis or bust.

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