The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar big man Anthony Davis on Saturday, sending off much of their assets to acquire him. After lengthy negotiations dating back to February, the team was finally able to give up a package that the Pelicans deemed fit for their disgruntled star.
Now with much of the team’s depth gone, the Lakers are focused on acquiring a third star in free agency to build the next super team. According to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, Kemba Walker is near the top of their list:
Kemba Walker will be a top target in free agency for the Lakers after they reached an agreement in principle to trade for Anthony Davis, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2019
Walker is one of several stars who will potentially leave his incumbent team after very little team success in his time in the league. The 29-year-old All-Star has said his focus is staying in Charlotte who has the advantage of being able to pay him a super max contract. However, Walker has also said he is willing to take less money to be in a winning situation.
Based on the timing of the trade, the Lakers will have cap space to add a max free agent before making Davis official. They have been linked to the likes of Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler, as well as Walker, while Kawhi Leonard is deemed as the biggest prize available.
