The NBA is buzzing, but not just about the championship chase. There’s another race in full swing—the trade deadline. It’s crunch time for Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka. His mission? Land a third star to team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Speaking of AD, he’s got a request. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time for the front office to listen. If they want banner No. 18, ignoring him isn’t an option.

LA’s 31-year-old center is once again reiterating his desire to play more power forward. “I think we need another big,” he told ESPN’s Shams Charania. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having a big out there.” What Rob Pelinka is missing right now is a 5 to shoot in the wake of the team’s championship dreams. And that’s exactly what Anthony Davis has been demanding for a long time.

Meanwhile, veteran NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith and podcast host Rob Lowe discussed the Lakers scenes on The Stephen A. Smith Show. Lowe who is a fan of AD and Co. said: “They’ve got Superman you know. They’ve got the Ageless Wonder and you know LeBron James and AD is doing his thing. I always say as AD goes, so go the Lakers. And they got this, the kid, the point guard. God! I mean, it’s exciting times to be a Laker fan.”

On the other hand, SAS recalled that someone asked him what the Lakers should do now that the trade market is open. He said: “Whatever Anthony Davis wants.” Smith continued: “If Anthony Davis says they need a five, go get him a five. Because of the way he’s balling right now, they go where he’ll take them because even with LeBron still being great, you need AD to be AD at his best. And he’s saying I need a five so I can play my natural position. So now it’s up to Rob Pelinka to go out and get a five for the Los Angeles Lakers, so AD can be happy.”

Surely, the timeless LeBron James is putting up his best show even at 40. He’s about to get his 21st All-Star badge soon, and who knows how many records he’ll make and break in the league. But, given the current scenario, the Lakers are all about Anthony Davis. He’s the center of the universe for them. He’s averaging 25.7 ppg and 11.9 rebounds, and with a 52.8 FG% AD is the star that needs some more support to shine a bit more.

Rob Pelinka has a major task ahead of him. It is believed that the Lakers’ front office was looking into having Nikola Vucevic and/or Jonas Valanciunas fill in as the potential 5 on the team. But, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps have expressed their concerns as they believe these hoopsters aren’t the ones the team should be pursuing. Meanwhile, there might be a faint chance that if LA involves itself in a 3-team trade, AD could get his power forward position back.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka could be involved in a 3-team trade talk to bring a center

The Brooklyn Nets are rebuilding, but they still have something the Lakers need—a center who fits their 2020 championship formula better than Vucevic or any other stretch big on the market. Back then, LeBron James and Anthony Davis thrived alongside rim-running, shot-blocking bigs like JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. It worked then, and it could work now. Rob Pelinka has already done business with Brooklyn this season. Maybe it’s time to make another call—for Nicolas Claxton.

This deal doesn’t have to be a simple two-team swap. Enter the Detroit Pistons. They could step in to smooth things out. If that happens, the Lakers land Nicolas Claxton and Simone Fontecchio. The Nets get Tim Hardaway Jr., Gabe Vincent, and a 2030 top-five protected first-round pick from L.A. Meanwhile, the Pistons receive Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and a 2030 second-round pick from Brooklyn. A three-team twist could make this trade even better.

Just to make it clear, this is a speculation that’s been around the NBA for quite some time now. But then, looking at the prospects in the trade market now, Rob Pelinka has limited options amidst Anthony Davis’ desperate demands. It’s only a matter of time before the trade deadline approaches. Moreover, it’s a now-or-never situation for the Lakers GM as they lack the depth they need to win a championship. Currently, the Lakers roster feels stale and it’s only Pelinka who can change the condition. But, will he?