LeBron James, Anthony Davis Might Team Up Amid Trade Rumors In 2019 NBA All-Star Game

Trade rumors regarding Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers will persist until the superstar signs or turns down a contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans. While the big man isn’t likely to be dealt during the 2018-2019 NBA season, we could soon get a taste of what a starting lineup including Davis and LeBron James might look like.

With the NBA All-Star Game just a month and a half away, James is the league’s leading vote-getter, making him the frontrunner to become one of the contest’s two captains. The player with the most votes from each conference will pick their respective rosters in a draft that will be broadcast on live television.

James has nearly a 300,000-vote advantage over Stephen Curry in the West and almost 100,000 more votes than the East's Giannis Antetokounmpo. If that persists until the voting closes, the Los Angeles Lakers’ star will have the No.1 pick in the All-Star Draft. Davis could be one of the top candidates to be James’ first choice.

The remaining eight starters have to go off the board before the captains can pick a reserve. Fans make up for 50 percent of the vote for the starters, while players and a panel of media members will each get 25 percent.

With averages of 28.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 blocks per game, Davis is going to make the team. Three frontcourt players from the West will be named starters, and he’s currently fourth in the voting behind James, Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant. Since Davis will get votes over Doncic by the media and players, he’s got a good shot to make the starting lineup.

When James was a captain for the 2018 All-Star Game, he picked Durant first and used his second selection on Davis. With all of the talk about James and Davis eventually joining forces in Los Angeles, including from James himself, perhaps the three-time champion would go with the Pelicans’ star first this time around.

Because James had spent his whole career in the East and Davis has only played for New Orleans, the two players didn’t get a chance to team up in the All-Star Game until last season when the draft was introduced. James won the 2018 All-Star MVP award with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Davis posted 12 points as Team LeBron beat Team Stephen 148-145.

James set a record last year when he started in his 14th straight All-Star game. Davis has started in each of the last two years.