Insider: Lakers Should Offer Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook For Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

While the Lakers are exploring all avenues to move Russell Westbrook, and land the Nets’ Kyrie Irving, one NBA insider suggested they should swing for the fences.

How so? Well, as relayed by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the insider suggested if the Lakers really want to move Westbrook, they should throw in Anthony Davis.

“Kyrie is the move. They should offer Davis with Westbrook,” the insider told Pincus “Try and get Kevin Durant. KD for AD and a pick is as close as [the Nets] will get to what they want.”

There’s been no shortage of reports about the Lakers not only trying to trade Westbrook, but also attempting to steal Irving in the process. Irving, of course, previously played with LeBron James when they won the 2016 championship with the Cavaliers.

But Durant? His only experience with James comes during their time together in international competition, or when they worked out together near James’ home in Akron, Ohio.

As for Davis … well, this isn’t the first time someone has mentioned the idea of offering him as a part of a Westbrook package. Several league sources have told Hoops Wire since the February trade deadline that the Lakers’ best path to a Westbrook trade is to throw in Davis as well. The Lakers would get way more in return that way, sources said.

But how would this benefit the Nets? Davis is injury prone and Westbrook is coming off an uneven season. If he didn’t really fit with Davis in LA, what makes the insider think he would elsewhere?

This is a suggestion, it seems, that would benefit the Lakers — but not really the Nets. Though it would indeed be interesting to see a Nets team with Davis, Westbrook, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris, Seth Curry and the rest.

Then again, it could also be a basketball disaster, and for the Nets, it would clearly be a risky move, not to mention a high-priced move.

Of course, the Lakers’ main goal is to move Westbrook, and they appear more determined than ever. But as one NBA executive told Pincus, they should continue to be patient.

“He’ll become easier to trade closer to the deadline [with the Lakers responsible for more than half of his 2022-23 salary],” the exec told Pincus. “That’s a lot less money for an owner to spend. Teams are more realistic on where they stand at that point. Other players become unhappy. Some may become available that [simply] aren’t right now.”