Anthony Davis Rumors: Lakers 'Dream' Of Beating Celtics For Pelicans Star

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly "dream" of beating the Boston Celtics for New Orleans Pelican star Anthony Davis. Both teams have been linked the most with a potential trade for Davis, who is only eligible for free agency in 2020.

And according to Marc Stein of the New York Times, Los Angeles have plans that includes signing "an elite free agent from the Kevin Durant/Kawhi Leonard tier next summer" and "beating out Boston's well-chronicled treasure trove of trade assets in a pitch for Davis."

Boston is viewed as the most asset-rich franchise in the NBA today and have significantly better pieces to offer than the Lakers. The Lakers would offer a combination of their young prospects in Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball according to Stein.

The Celtics though, have more valuable pieces to offer in Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown for example, while they are also receiving a 2019 first-round protected pick from either the Sacramento Kings or the Philadelphia 76ers, as well as boasting a number of other picks.

The Lakers have one key advantage, however — they can offer a trade for Davis this season while Boston cannot. That's because unless the Celtics offer Kyrie Irving in a potential trade package for Davis, they won't be able to trade for him because both players signed their current deals under the designated rookie scale contract extension, known as the Rose Rule.

A team cannot have two players under that same contract, so if the Celtics wait until the summer when Irving likely re-signs a new deal, they could risk missing out on Davis if the Lakers are aggressive with a trade package.

Still, New Orleans will not want to trade their star away while Davis is unlikely to request a trade before the February deadline either, but if offered a trade package, they would surely consider it, and Stein pondered why L.A. aren't taking advantage already.

"Maybe what the question suggests isn’t L.A.’s preferred sequencing," Stein wrote. "Maybe New Orleans isn’t prepared to even answer the phone to field a trade pitch for Davis until after the season. But the concept inevitably grabs you when it gets presented in the manner I heard last week: Shouldn’t the Lakers ignore all the above and go after Davis right now while Boston is forced to spectate?"

Other reports, meanwhile, claim Los Angeles are preparing a trade for the 25-year-old. As per NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson earlier this month, the Lakers were planning a trade package that involved Ball, Ingram and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope should Davis be made available. Robinson added it could even be a three-team deal with the Orlando Magic.

This followed earlier reports from another NBA insider in Chris Sheridan who claimed Davis going to the Lakers was something that was "in the works" for years, even with Boston being a contender.

Whichever team eventually gets Davis will likely have the best chance of dethroning the Golden State Warriors and establishing a new dynasty. LeBron James, in particular, would love for him to join him at the Staples Center.

"That would be amazing, like, duh," James told ESPN when asked about a potential Davis trade. "That would be incredible."