It seems far-fetched, the idea of the Lakers exploring a trade of Anthony Davis during the summer, but all things considered … maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to believe.
For one, the contingent of Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook isn’t getting it done. As it stands, the Lakers are barely in the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
For another, the Lakers aren’t going to trade James and there’s no way they are able to move Westbrook’s bloated contract. They’ve already tried, and not even the Rockets were all that interested in a Westbrook-for-John Wall swap.
And for yet another, Davis has proven to be injury-prone and is often out of action when the Lakers need him most.
Oh, and here’s another thing — Davis would bring the most in return for a team that clearly needs a roster shakeup, as the 37-year old James enters the near-the-rocking-chair stage of his career.
Now, the Lakers have not explored any trade involving Davis. If a rival team has brought up his name in talks, the Lakers have quickly shot it down. But when it comes to Davis in LA, it may be time to start wondering why the Lakers are clinging to him so tightly.
Especially when you factor in that the current lineup is going nowhere, and fast.
Also, minus a trade of Davis, the Lakers stand a good chance of bringing back the same uninspiring roster next season. And who in LA can bear another year of this?
Sadly for Lakers fans, the Lakers themselves actually seem OK with the idea of keeping everyone for another run. Sadly for Lakers fans, the Lakers seem to realize they don’t exactly have a lot of assets to make any sort of real move.
This is something ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne touched on during an appearance on The Hoops Collective Podcast with Brian Windhorst.
“‘Let’s not make a change to make a change,'” Shelburne said, indicating what the Lakers seem to be thinking. “‘Let’s make a change when we know it’s going to make us a lot better.’ And I’ve even heard the phrasing, ‘This is probably going to be the roster next year, too.’
“Now, obviously, the minimum contract guys will change, but I think this is what they’ve got. There was a couple of weird signals I’ve seen since that. I don’t think LeBron’s been in a situation where he just gets told, ‘No,’ flat out very often. Even (Cavaliers owner) Dan Gilbert eventually kind of bent.”
So yeah, it seems if the Lakers really want to try to improve by leaps and bounds, their lone option would be to explore a trade of Davis.
Rather than have a “Big Three” of James, Davis and Westbrook, the Lakers would be able to have a Big (Older) One in James, as well as Westbrook, and the multiple players and assets that Davis would almost definitely bring in return.
Trade Davis? Even the idea sounds insane? Unless the Lakers really want to take a swing at not having this happen again next season.
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Lets be honest! Anthony Davis is a glass house.The Lakers were fortunate to capitalize during covid with fear running rampant. Jeanie Buss was groomed by her dad and she needs to step up and put her fingerprints on the organization. The best way she could do that is ignore Phil Jackson, Magic Johnson and especially Pelinka. She should do whatever she has to do to bridge the issues with Jerry West who quite frankly deserves way better from the Lakers organization. Jeanie s dad had west in the thick of things and like it or not he was the architect for much Laker success. No offense to Dr Buss but Jerry was very important.
The Lakers get Jerry in and he rights the ship in a couple years if he/we have that long. The 100% For sure thing that needs to be done is first trade Westbrook for hopefully several players. 2nd goodbye anthony davis for a boatload of picks/players/youth to any chump that ll take him. 3rd hang on to James regardless of the crying he ll do until you can get another premium boatload haul. I’d rather have a bunch of hungry young players over a lebron team that struggles 2 years running at the bottom of the playoff pile to get in and over a lebron group that cuts up and laughs after losses and worry about politics and whats the best club to go to after a loss in a visiting city any day of the week!! Time to step up Jeannie and show you can run the boys as well as with the boys!!