A Western Conference executive told NBA insider Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports that the people within the Los Angeles Lakers who may be in favor of trading Anthony Davis aren’t “at the top of the food chain.”
The Lakers signed Davis to a three-year, $177 million extension in August 2023.
“For one thing, league execs point out, trading Davis is not easy,” Deveney wrote. “He has a record $177 million extension that kicks in for 2025-26. For another thing, while some within the Lakers might be in favor of a Davis trade, as one West executive said, ‘They’re not at the top of the food chain.'”
Davis appeared in a career-high 76 games this season. He averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.3 blocks while shooting 55.6% from the field, 27.1% from beyond the arc and 81.6% from the free-throw line.
One of the best players in the NBA, Davis has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as LeBron James. LeBron can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason if he declines his 2024-25 player option, but the four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP is expected to remain with the Lakers.
Los Angeles acquired Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans in the summer of 2019. Davis is averaging 24.7 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.2 blocks with the Lakers. The Chicago native helped the franchise win the 2020 championship over the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble.
A future Hall of Famer, Davis has career averages of 24.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks with the Pelicans and Lakers. He’s made nine All-Star teams, four All-NBA teams and four All-Defensive teams.
It will be interesting to see if the Lakers make the 2024 playoffs. They have to win one play-in game to qualify for the 2024 postseason.
Los Angeles got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Davis hasn’t figured out how to stop Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic yet.
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