In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers completed a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire superstar big man Anthony Davis.
While the trade proved to be a great one as the Lakers turned around and won the championship in their first season with Davis in 2020, it also did not come cheap.
The Lakers gave up a number of talented young players and draft picks in the trade, some of which they are still paying off. The final draft pick included in the deal was a 2024 first-rounder that the Pelicans could decide if they wanted in 2024 or 2025.
After finishing with the eighth-best record in the Western Conference, the Lakers secured the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The experts have claimed this to be one of the weaker drafts in history, however, so the expectation has been that the Pelicans will defer the draft pick to 2025, when the talent pool is expected to be much stronger.
That expectation is now a reality as according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pelicans have notified the Lakers that they won’t be taking their pick this year:
ESPN Sources with @DraftExpress: The New Orleans Pelicans are planning to defer the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round pick until 2025, clearing the way for LA to select 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Pick conditions were part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 31, 2024
Now that it is official, the Lakers can continue scouting prospects that are projected to go in the middle of the first round around pick 17.
The other route the Lakers can go is trading the pick on draft night to help make roster upgrades. In addition to the 17th overall pick, L.A. also has first-round picks in 2029 and 2031 that are available to trade.
With three first-round picks at his disposal, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has a prime opportunity to either acquire another star or add some much-needed depth this offseason.
Now that the Lakers know the Pelicans will be taking their first-round pick in 2025, they can go all-in this season, knowing they will lose their pick regardless.
Once that pick is made in 2025, the Lakers will be done giving stuff to New Orleans for the Davis trade. Since that deal, the Lakers have won a championship and made the Western Conference Finals, while the Pelicans have yet to get out of the first round.
Bronny James to meet with Lakers and Suns
Now that the Lakers are keeping their pick, one player the Lakers could draft with the 17th pick this year is Bronny James, the oldest son of LeBron James.
While taking James in the first round may be a reach, the Phoenix Suns have the 22nd pick and could be interested as well. In fact, it was recently reported that the Lakers and Suns are the only teams James will meet with leading up to the draft.
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