Los Angeles Lakers · Franchise era 8 of 8
LeBron, Davis and another banner: the Los Angeles Lakers story
Franchise era
2018–19—present
LeBron, Davis and another banner
Los Angeles Lakers
The story in one sentence
James and Davis restored the Lakers to the summit with the 2020 championship before another major roster handoff reshaped the future.
Superstar reinvention in a new generation
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves gave the era its recognizable core.
Its final meaning is still being written.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2018–19
What came before
Injuries broke an ambitious veteran roster, and the Lakers spent several years developing young players after Bryant's final run.
July 6, 2019
The Anthony Davis package that produced a title and a rebuild
The Lakers compressed nearly their entire young core into a second superstar. The Pelicans accepted a long rebuild with both immediate players and control over Los Angeles's future drafts.
08Championship wagerJuly 6, 2019LAL⇄NOPAnthony Davis to the LakersLos Angeles paired Anthony Davis with LeBron James. New Orleans received three young players, the No. 4 draft rights and years of first-round control in a three-team transaction.9 assets · 4 outcomes＋
The original receipt
Los Angeles Lakers received
- • Anthony Davis
New Orleans Pelicans received
- • Brandon Ingram
- • Lonzo Ball
- • Josh Hart
- • Draft rights to De'Andre Hunter · No. 4
- • 2022 Lakers first
- • 2023 first-round swap rights
- • 2024 Lakers first with deferral option
- • Cash considerations
Davis helped deliver the 2020 championship immediately. Ingram became an All-Star, while the draft tree kept moving through later Pelicans trades.
Open full trade tree →2020
Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets
2020
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat
2023
Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets
Still unfolding
Where the story stands
This chapter remains active, so its final place in franchise history is still being written.
The core