The Toronto Raptors are officially the 2019 NBA Champions, form Kyle Lowry going off at the beginning of the game to Fred VanVleet knocking down huge three-pointers in the fourth quarter the Raptors earned this one. But as good as the Raptors played you cannot forget about what the team in the other locker room was going through. Boogie Cousins was coming off a torn quad, Iguodala was all banged up, Kevon Looney had a broken rib and of course Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson suffered two absolutely devastating injuries but nevertheless the Raptors will always go down as the 2019 NBA Champions, but what if the Raptors were not the only winners of the NBA Finals.
The Toronto Raptors have won their first NBA Championship.
The 2019 NBA Finals shook the NBA more than we might think. For years the Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA, since 2015 they made the Finals every single year and won three championships in the process but this year was their most unlucky stretches in the history of any sports and as a result of the door just opened for another team and another player to once again rule the NBA and while talking about that there’s only one player in contention and that’s LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers.
As soon as the Finals ended Anthony Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and that is something we all have been waiting for after this year’s trade mess that happened in February near All-Star break. With the 2019-20 season still four months away and less than 48 hours after the Raptors won the Championship the free agency talks officially begin and the Lakers made their move the first hand.
Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first round picks have been traded to Pelicans.
Lakers desperately needed to get LeBron James the second superstar and they just did that by giving up Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks for the 26-year-old Anthony Davis who’s in the prime of his career.
The NBA is more wide open than ever and as of now the Lakers are still having room to sign another star but it cannot be confirmed until the start of the free agency. But the Pelicans are looking in good shape already as they have got a good potential starting lineup which includes Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Julius Randle. Soon to be 22 years old, Lonzo Ball has shown glimpses of his potential, and he’s already one of the best defensive point guards in the league and him teaming up with the veteran Jrue Holiday will make them one of the best backcourts in the league. Alongside them, Brandon Ingram also has a great opportunity to shine as he did right after the All-Star break and while Josh Hart is a great three-point shooter is more likely come off the bench and to top it all off the Pelicans now have Zion Williamson who is going to be absolute fun to watch.
Potential starting lineup for the Pelicans this season.
On the other hand, the Lakers pulled off a huge gamble by getting Anthony Davis alongside LeBron James. LeBron will most likely put up superstar numbers but he will no longer be as good as he was after he came back from his injury last year along with that he’s entering his 17th season in the league and if the things didn’t work out next season there’s still a chance that Anthony Davis might opt out and become a free agent in 2020. Another concern is Davis’ injury history as throughout his career he’s never played more than 75 games in any season and 35 years old LeBron James is not as same as 32 years LeBron James, so in order to compensate that Davis might have to give a little extra from himself if the Lakers were to win a Championship next season. As of now the trio of LeBron, Davis, and Kuzma is a playoff contending team in the west.
With the Golden State Warriors out as one of the contenders for the Championship in 2020, the conference is wide open but a two-man team would not be enough as the Lakers will need more shooters and solid role players to win it all this year. So for them to be the NBA Champions, the Lakers will have to use their Cap-space cautiously and surround the duo of LeBron and Davis with some good veteran players who have been known to handle the pressure of playoffs and perform alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Kawhi Leonard playing for the Clippers will hugely impact this season for the Lakers.
Things are looking pretty good for the Lakers right now but if Kawhi Leonard decides to sign with the Clippers next season, the Los Angeles Clippers will become the heavy favorites to come out of the west. Clippers roster has great depth right now and alongside having an excellent front office with Jerry West on their side and if Kawhi joins them, the Clippers have a great chance to win the 2020 NBA Championship.
The Lakers might look good on papers but with their weak front office, they have a lot to figure out alongside making the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Overall it was an excellent trade for the New Orleans Pelicans and still be one of the most talked about teams throughout the 2020s decade. Having Zion on their side there is a strong chance that they will be in serious contentions within three years from now and while it was a good trade for LeBron as it has kept his title chances alive as he ages but wherever Kawhi Leonard goes this off-season that team will be the favorites to win it all.
