Anthony Davis Injury Throws Ripple in Potential Lakers-Bulls Trade: Analyst

Getty Patrick Williams #9, Chicago Bulls, Anthony Davis #3, Los Angeles Lakers

The Chicago Bulls are currently 11-18, which places them 11th overall in the Eastern Conference. If their season continues to spiral, they could look to move their guys and start a rebuild. While the Los Angeles Lakers could be a possible trade partner, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report said that Anthony Davis’ foot injury may impact a possible trade between the Lakers and Bulls.

“Internally, the Lakers weren’t united on the path forward, specifically with what Chicago might have to offer, and that was before losing Davis. And the Bulls may need at least another month to decide its fate, gauge the market and try to extract the highest return,” Pincus said.

Pincus also explained how trading for DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic could help them pull through during Davis’ absence.

“L.A. has coveted DeMar DeRozan, one of the players it chose to pass on over Russell Westbrook in 2021. If the Bulls were willing to move Nikola Vučević with DeRozan, the Lakers would have a starting-level, former All-Star center who could hold down the middle in Davis’ absence,” Pincus said.

The Lakers are currently 13-16 but are only a game and a half behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 10th seed. With Davis out for at least a month, they could use some reinforcements that the Bulls may potentially have to offer.

Bulls ‘Evaluating All of Their Options’

In a December 18 Sports Illustrated article, Brett Siegel reported that the Bulls were looking at their options going forward as the league continues to keep a close eye on them.

“Many around the league have their eyes on the Chicago Bulls right now as a team that could potentially look to ‘sell’ ahead of the trade deadline, and league sources told Fastbreak on FanNation that the Bulls are currently evaluating all of their options,” Siegel said.

A source told Siegel that the Bulls are indeed considering making some changes. Whether that’s to start over completely or to add more talent to their current squad.

“I’ll say this, those so-called ‘rumors’ out there talking about the Bulls potentially tearing everything apart,” Siegel said. “There is movement to these talks, and the Bulls are actively evaluating themselves and all of their options both to add and move talent ahead of the deadline.”

Billy Donovan Provides Lonzo Ball Update

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has not played an NBA game in almost a year, and the Bulls are awaiting his return to the floor. Billy Donovan provided an update on Ball on December 18, though he did not provide an exact date for Ball’s return.

“I spoke to him [Saturday] for a while,” Donovan said, per Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times. “Again, he feels like he’s progressing. Not that this is new, but I saw him [Saturday]; he was on the floor shooting. I think the biggest thing is, when is he going to get to a place where the pain is such that he can start to run? He’s not at that right now, but I think he’s progressing toward that.”

Though Donovan does not know when Ball will come back, he told reporters that Ball will have to do a fair amount of conditioning before he returns to the floor.

‘‘Just in talking to the medical guys . . . there’s going to be a period, [given] the amount of time he’s been out, he has to get his conditioning back, he’s going to need some contact in practice,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I don’t know what that period is, but it’s certainly not like: ‘Hey, he’s running; next week, he’s playing.’ I don’t think that’s going to happen.’’