Lakers news: After trading for All-Star forward Anthony Davis back in June, the Los Angeles Lakers shifted their focus in going after Kawhi Leonard in free agency.

 They were attempting to build the NBA’s next superteam, and AD himself thought that the Purple and Gold had a really good shot at landing the reigning Finals MVP.

“I don’t really know Kawhi like that — I don’t think no one really knows Kawhi like that. But obviously we were hopeful. I definitely thought that it was a possibility that we could get him… I’m not going to be a haggling guy. Especially when he came and said he didn’t really like the media [attention] and people pressuring him.

But I think there was a time where all of us felt like we were really, really close to getting Kawhi.”

Davis added that he and his teammates were already thinking of the possibilities had the Lakers signed Leonard.

“I think it [has] always been about the Big Three, We were talking like, ‘Man, we get Kawhi, man, this is what we can do. We can do it like this, this, this, this.'”

During the first week of free agency, a lot of people, including credible members of the media, believed that the Lakers were the frontrunners to sign Leonard. But everyone was stunned when he decided to join the Los Angeles Clippers, the team that was also able to trade another All-Star in Paul George.

With Kawhi and PG joining the Clippers, there has been a lot of talk about the potential LA rivalry, as they share Staples Center with the Lakers, the more prominent and beloved team in the city. Many people believe that the Clips are the favorites to win the NBA championship this season, but the Lakers aren’t going to be pushovers compared to the past six years.

The Lakers will be parading a roster led by four-time MVP LeBron James, as well as Davis, who’s starting to become one of the best basketball players in the world. At 26 years old, he’s one of the most skilled big men in the league, and with a roster filled with veterans with high basketball IQ, the Purple and Gold will be ready to go toe-to-toe with the NBA’s best.

And Davis is confident that they can succeed, even without Kawhi.

“‘We [still] got LeBron and Anthony Davis. Let’s do it.'”

Follow ClutchPoints for the latest Los Angeles Lakers news and updates.

#NBANEWS #LAKERSNEWS