The Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans agreeing to a trade involving Anthony Davis is a big step, but there is still one extremely important detail that remains that will affect the Lakers’ ability to build the rest of their roster. That is the date the trade is executed.
The amount of salary cap space the Lakers will have available when free agency begins depends on the day the trade is executed, as well as whether Davis receives his trade bonus.
– If the trade is executed on July 6 and Davis receives his $4.1 million trade bonus, the Lakers would have $23.6 million in salary cap space
– If the trade is executed on July 6 and Davis waives his trade bonus, the Lakers would have $27.7 million in salary cap space
– If the trade is executed on July 30, the Lakers would have $32.5 million in cap space
The Lakers Review adds that if the Lakers trade Moritz Wagner and Isaac Bonga, they would free up additional cap space.
– trade executed July 6 AND Davis waives trade bonus = $27.7 mil
– trade executed July 6 AND Davis receives his trade bonus = $23.6 mil
– trade executed July 6 AND Davis waives his trade bonus AND Wagner + Bonga traded = $29.4 mil
– if trade is executed in August = $32.5 mil
— TheLakersReview (@TheLakersReview) June 16, 2019
The reason for this difference in available cap space money — aside from Davis’ trade bonus — has to do with a cap hold due to the Lakers holding the No. 4 draft pick. Part of the salary cap space they have available is set aside to account for the signing of the No. 4 pick, which they’re planning to trade as terms of their deal with New Orleans.
As of now, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says the date of the trade is expected to be July 6. That would impact the Lakers’ ability to sign a player to a max free agent deal.
If Pelicans and Lakers waited until July 30 to complete trade, Lakers could’ve had $32.5M in cap space — enough to pursue a max level free agent. By waiting 30 days, Lakers would be acting like a team over the cap and thus allowed to use 4th overall pick in draft as salary. https://t.co/BdKtxFtvai
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2019
The Lakers were said to be targeting Kemba Walker, but they might not be able to offer him the kind of money he could see elsewhere, especially from Charlotte. They may be best served trying to sign several players with the available money they have rather than locking up one major free agent given all the holes in their roster.
