LA Lakers chiefs have Anthony Davis trade fear over Victor Wembanyama

Los Angeles Lakers management are increasingly concerned their pick-swap with the New Orleans Pelicans could give them French phenomenon Victor Wembanyama. Back in 2019, the Lakers completed a deal with the Pelicans to acquire Anthony Davis in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round draft picks.Wembanyama is the hottest prospect in the 2023 draft class and he could well be the most promising young player since LeBron James entered the NBA 20 years prior in 2003. The Frenchman impressed during his first appearance in the United States, scoring 37 points – including seven three-pointers from 11 attempts – and registering five blocks as his club Metropolitans 92 faced the G League Ignite last month.The 7’4′ 18-year-old – who has an eight foot wingspan paired with the shooting ability of a point guard – is the surefire number one pick and teams are reportedly going to battle for the chance to pick him in the NBA draft lottery. His size means Wembanyama is a fearsome shot-blocker and rim protector while he is essentially unstoppable as a perimeter shooter.When the Lakers agreed to include a pick swap for their 2023 first-round draft selection in the deal for Davis, they surely did not imagine the franchise would be a lottery team in the draft. However, NBA insider Marc Stein admitted there’s a growing fear from within the franchise that the swapped pick could lead the Pelicans to Wembanyama. READ MORE: Durant matches incredible Jordan record after LeBron James comments The Lakers are concerned their 2019 trade for Davis could see Wembanyama land in New Orleans (Image: GETTY)’There is already a palpable fear inside (what I still like to call) Staples Center that the Purple & Gold are careening toward a draft in June in which the New Orleans Pelicans are gleefully positioned to swap picks with L.A. as a condition of the Anthony Davis blockbuster deal in July 2019,’ Stein wrote on his Substack.Wembanyama averaged one steal, 3.8 blocks and 9.4 rebounds per 36 minutes across his first two years as a professional, which highlights his extraordinary defensive ability. Despite his relative inexperience, the center appears to have an intuitive understanding of the game, both on offence and defence. Simply put, it would be catastrophic if the Lakers miseducating out on the highly-rated Wembanyama due to a pick swap – even if Davis was a key contributor as the Lakers won the NBA championship in 2020. Against the Brooklyn Nets recently, Davis secured season-highs in points and rebounds with 37 and 18 respectively. DON’T MISSMVP winner Nikola Jokic snubbed as ‘best big man in NBA’ namedLakers coach told ‘I got your back’ by Anthony Davis amid James injuryCeltics ace Jayson Tatum claims NBA should be scared amid MVP calls Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points on his France debut on Friday (Image: GETTY)