1. They get a superstar in his prime
It is strange waters for the Lakers to not have a star in the prime of his career, but not since Kobe won his MVP have they had anyone that fits that bill. They wanted to draft a superstar with their three lottery picks in a row, but in typical Laker fashion, they made a blockbuster trade for one instead.
They have not had a superstar under the age of thirty at all this decade, and now at 26, Davis can carry them into the future as the All-Star big man the franchise has had success grooming in the past. It is almost a right of passage for any legendary big man to wear the purple and gold, and now it is the Brow’s turn to cement his legacy.
He has the finesse and skill of a Laker legend like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and he is almost as astute as well, as he continues to add to his game every season. Davis has improved his scoring average in the NBA every season he played besides last season, and that was more due to his own team sabotaging his minutes, rather than his own undoing.
Davis has yet to win an MVP in his career, but he has been in the running almost every year of his career. In the past five seasons, he has finished in the top ten in the MVP voting three times and two seasons ago he finished in the top three only behind James Harden, and now co-star LeBron James.
AD is already generating buzz for other stars to come to Los Angeles as well, something King James and even the Black Mamba were not that good at. Since the AD trade news broke this past weekend, there have been rumblings that Kawhi Leonard is now even keener on considering the Lakers this summer.
With the big three of Kawhi, AD, and LeBron even a possibility on the horizon it is hard to view this move in a negative light. Sure they might have lost their young core and the ability to control their draft for the next half-decade, but if AD and LeBron win a title together, then it will all be worth it.