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Report: Anthony Davis traded to Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, picks

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LeBron James has his second star next to him.

Things had been building toward this for more than a week. Boston was holding back. The Clippers and Nets couldn’t get any traction. And there were the Lakers with a good package that was as good as it was likely going to get.

In the end, that deal — one the Pelicans did not take at the trade deadline — got it done.

Anthony Davis is on his way to the Lakers for Brandon IngramLonzo BallJosh Hart, and three first-round picks including this year’s No. 4, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Lakers were able to keep Kyle Kuzma in the trade, something that mattered to them.

While how the Lakers round out their roster will matter — they may want to add some shooting this time — this vaults them into contender status, especially in a West with an injury-riddled Golden State squad. The Lakers still have the cap space to try to add a third star to the roster.

The Pelicans got a haul here that jumpstarts a rebuild: Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram as the forwards, whoever they take with the No. 4 pick, Lonzo Ball will back up Jrue Holiday (and Ball should thrive in Alvin Gentry’s up-tempo system, it plays to his strengths), Josh Hart is a solid role player. That is a team that could hang around and compete for a playoff spot in the West if things break right for them.