Kawhi, AD and the King

Now that some of the dust has settled on the New Orleans Pelicans' trade of Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart, plus three first-round draft choices, and now that some of the dust has also settled on more clueless takes on the trade — especially from clueless LakeShow fans — we can discuss this at least semi-rationally before the July 1 official start of the NBA meat market.

First, I'm going to be even blunter than Zach Lowe and say "The Pellies won."

Why?

Several reasons.

First, I've already said that next year, LeBron James will be 35, will be, barring a bigger injury than last year in the top 10 in career minutes played and is already No. 1 in career playoff minutes. Lowe does the math and says he is likely to be No. 3 in total combined minutes at the end of the year.

So, even if AD actually DOES sign a new contract? Guess what, Lakers clueless-rati? It's going to be with a diminishing LeBron who at best will be Dwyane Wade 2.0 and at worst will be Kobe Bryant 2.0.

And that's just on the physical side.

I know many people have claimed that, as D-Wade did for him in Miami, he's willing to play second banana. We'll see. He had nobody to play second banana TO a year ago.

"But Kawhi Leonard is coming here!"

No he ain't.

His most recent indications of that simple fact are just three months old and LONG AFTER a Woj tweet that's become like crack cocaine for many Lakers fans. While there's no recent direct quote, NBA inside business has him clear that he does NOT want to play for the Lakers in part because he didn't want to be LeBron's second banana. And he's not alone. Maybe an aging LeBron will be Kobe 2.0 in that way too?

Well, if those sentiments are still true, he sure as hell doesn't want to be third banana to both the King AND Davis. Get.A.Fricking.Clue. Especially since he hoisted a second Finals MVP award, and in his own quiet way, showed he's an alpha, he's looking for a place to lead and to win.

And per Woj

Kawhi Leonard will likely take free agency meetings with the Raptors, Clippers, Knicks, Sixers, and Nets, per Woj.

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 21, 2019

And per Woj on video (sorry, won't embed)

Kawhi ain't going there because those sentiments are still the same.

And, given how well the Clippers pushed the Dubs in the playoffs? The "other" LA team actually fits that better for him.

That's assuming he leaves Toronto. Maybe he stays. Maybe he stays on LBJ-like one-and-option contracts. (And I thought of that before Red Satan mentioned it.)

Meanwhile, on Twitter, an apparent Lakers fan engaged in whataboutism in discussing the Woj video. Yes, dude, we don't know if Kawhi will stay in Toronto, go to the Clippers or maybe jump on a third team. BUT — and this is what I said in retweeting Woj — we have a firmer idea than ever that he will NOT go to the Lakers.

So, an aging LeBron, AD, and scrubbeenies.

And, per Lowe, that's an AD who, while getting better, is still not a fantastic playmaker for a big man, and is not an "initiator" in general, along with not being a great 3-baller, though he is OK at least.

He is, of course, a great defender. And even an aging James is above average to well above average. James is still an offensive initiator, but he'll need help there and shooting the ball outside the arc, something the Lakers already sucked at last year.

One can argue, given the Lakers' pre-LeBron record on free agents, that they needed a trade like this No.Matter.What. That may be true. And, we'll see in a month if it paid off. As of now, though, among large-market teams, their record in free agency attraction is as bad as the Knicks and worse than the Mavs.

Beyond that, add in the Lakers' management turmoil, with Magic Johnson quitting, and coaching turmoil, with No. 3 choice Frank Vogel emasculating himself to get the job.

OK, on the Pelicans side?

Other than having to put up with Daddy Ball's flapping gums for a couple of years, they didn't lose anything.

And, if Kawhi does move to the "other" LA team? I would push the Clippers past the Dubs. Maybe behind Denver, I'm not sure; we'll have to see how the Nuggets handle the spotlight. Even with the Rockets. Ahead of the Warriors. Well ahead of the Lakers.

The Lakers right now? First, we don't even know if the Pellies will be kind enough to draw out the official trade date to late July. If not? That's less cap space for any free agents that DO want to play with LeBron. Gimme this team with one midlevel free agent of the upper grades, one midlevel exception contract, a second exception contract and some veterans minimums? Still behind the Nuggets, Rockets and Dubs for sure. Behind a Kawhi-led Clippers team for sure; maybe even with them otherwise.

As of right now, they're no better than No. 5 in the West, as I see it.

If Klay Thompson comes back at 80 percent by the All-Star Game, they're ahead.

The Rockets are still ahead, even with all the CP3 drama.

The Nuggets, led by the Joker, are of course still ahead. (And, that's not counting whatever Michael Porter may bring next year.)

And the Jazz, with the Mike Conley trade, stay ahead.