Shortly after Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka traded for Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans, it came out that the trade would be finalized on July 6.
At the time, it meant the Lakers would lose their available max-contract slot, a move that many in the media immediately slammed and criticized Pelinka for.
However, shortly after, the Lakers traded Moritz Wagner, Jemerrio Jones, and Isaac Bonga to the Washington Wizards as Davis waived his $4.1 million trade kicker to give the Lakers their max-contract slot back. It never truly seemed like the Lakers were worried about their cap situation, and it’s partially due to Pelinka’s knowledge.