When LeBron James came to the Los Angeles Lakers he made it clear that he wanted to win now. At the tail end of his peak, James didn’t have time to wait for the promising young Lakers team to be ready, so he orchestrated a blockbuster deal for superstar Anthony Davis.
The New Orleans Pelicans received a treasure trove in exchange, getting most of the Lakers’ young core as well as three first-round draft picks, including the 4th pick in the 2019 draft. They were able to trade the 2019 pick for Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a future protected first round pick.