As the Los Angeles Lakers have been mired in a six-year stretch of missing the playoffs, the team accumulated draft picks and completed trades that in some part led to adding Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart to the organization.
They formed what became affectionately known as the Lakers’ young core and were expected to be part of the franchise’s turnaround. However, their time together came to an end last summer when the Lakers packaged Ball, Ingram and Hart to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis.
More than one month after Davis returned to New Orleans for the first time since the trade, Ball, Hart and Ingram faced the Lakers at Staples Center on Friday.