Getty Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis.
From a roster standpoint, it doesn’t appear that the Los Angeles Lakers have grand plans to trade away any of their superstar players. Even Russell Westbrook’s chances of sticking around are starting to increase. However, any and everything should on the table for the team after a disastrous season.
After the Lakers won a title in 2020, the hope was that Anthony Davis would take the reigns from LeBron James as the team’s best player. Instead, he’s missed a lot of games due to injury and hasn’t looked like his usual dominant self when he’s on the court. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently reported that Davis’ value around the NBA has plummeted and the Lakers would be hard-pressed to find a trade suitor.
That might not actually be the case. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney spoke to an Eastern Conference executive who still believes that Davis has a ton of value. He even said that “a team like Chicago, where he is from, they would bend over backwards to get him.”
The executive even went so far as to pitch a trade package that would send Davis to the Bulls.
“I don’t think there is a lot that the Bulls would give up Patrick Williams for, but if you’re talking about bringing Anthony Davis back to Chicago, as an organization, they would get on board with that,” the executive said. “It would make a lot of sense on both sides, except that LeBron and Klutch want AD in Los Angeles. But Williams and Coby White with that expiring (Nikola) Vucevic contract, it is a good package both ways. If you are the Lakers, maybe you try to pull a pick, too.”
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Bulls Could Be Only Team Davis Would Be Open To
Davis wanted to be in Los Angeles and that played a major role in why he was traded there. He signed a long-term deal with the team and there hasn’t been any indication he wants to leave. Due to the Lakers’ ties to Klutch Sports, it’s hard to imagine they would trade Davis to a team he wouldn’t want to play for. That’s what makes the Bulls an interesting possibility.
Davis is from Chicago and has said in the past that he would “definitely consider” signing with the Bulls if it was the right opportunity, per the Chicago Tribune. Chicago put together a really strong season but lacks a true superstar on their roster. Davis would be that player and could be the piece that gets them over the top.
Lakers Need to Give Davis at Least 1 More Season
The last two seasons haven’t been ideal for Davis. He looked like one of the five best players in the NBA after the Lakers’ championship run but he hasn’t even looked like a top-10 player in recent years. Much of that has been due to injuries but that’s also concerning.
Fortunately, Davis hasn’t suffered any injuries that were too significant so he can still get back to his All-Star form. Players like him don’t come around often. The Lakers won’t find a player on the trade market that has the same level of upside. They should give him at least one more season to get back on track before they even think about trading him.
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