NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Prefer Anthony Davis Over Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard

There's no secret about the desire of the Los Angeles Lakers to add a top star to LeBron James and company and truly make them championship contenders. The only question is who it could be.

Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard are two players who can become unrestricted free agents next summer, and are reported targets for the Lakers, who have the cap space to sign one of them to a max contract.

It's guaranteed that should they enter free agency, Los Angeles will hold meetings with them, but according to Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher, the priority might be a trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis this season.

Davis still has two years left on his contract before potentially entering free agency so he can only be traded, and Bucher believes the playing style of the 25-year-old means he would fit in better with James than the likes of Durant or Leonard.

"It’s a matter of the players that are available and part of the challenge is they are all guys… Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant - these are all ball-handling forwards who can play either position,” Bucher told "The Dan Patrick Show" recently, as quoted on The Express. “That’s essentially what LeBron is [and] there’s a duplication there and not to say that duplication doesn’t work. But for where these guys are, is it ideal? No it’s not ideal."

“So I believe that ultimately the guy that the Lakers get to fill that spot isn’t necessarily going to be a free agent. Maybe it’s a Khris Middleton, no offence to Khris but sort of that second-tier guy who would step in and sign as a free agent. But if they’re going to get the big name and Anthony Davis is the name that’s out there the most and certainly the Klutch agency that LeBron is part of also represents AD and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope."

Because Davis can't be signed in free agency in the near future, the Lakers would have to give up a lot of assets to make a deal with New Orleans work.

According to NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson as of earlier this month, the Lakers are planning to offer a huge trade package which includes the likes of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Caldwell-Pope as well as draft picks on Dec. 15.

The deal could also be a three-team trade with Ball going to the Orlando Magic and someone like Nikola Vucevic going to the Pelicans. Dec. 15 is when players like Caldwell-Pope, who signed one year deals in the summer, can be traded.

This followed up a report from NBA insider Chris Sheridan late last month stating that a Davis-to-Lakers deal has been in the works for years.

The next few days will certainly be interesting with regards to Davis, who for now, is focused on helping the struggling Pelicans (14-15) get back on track.

"I'm just focused on this team," Davis said in response to Boston Celtics fans cheering his name. "I'm trying to do whatever I can to help this team get wins with the roster we have. It's been a rocky season, so it's on me to try to figure it out."