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A rough stretch for Anthony Davis just keeps getting rougher. After a debut season with the Los Angeles Lakers that had many regarding him as a top-three player in the NBA, the star big man has been playing some of his worst basketball over the last two seasons. Last year, he only averaged 21.8 games and was injured for most of the year. He hasn’t looked much better this year as he’s averaging 23.8 points a game and is set to miss the next month with another injury.
It’s starting to look like he’s no longer the same player he was when the Lakers first acquired him. LeBron James turns 37 at the end of the year so time isn’t on his side. Davis was a great running mate a couple of seasons ago but his recent struggles on the court and to stay healthy are highly concerning. He’s still just 28-years-old and would be valuable on the trade market. Fox Sports radio host Jason Smith believes that Davis’ tenure with the Lakers won’t last much longer.
“I can see the Anthony Davis era with the Lakers ending with him being traded,” Smith said. “This is not working, LeBron is at the end of his run and AD is at the end of his run. So now, we gotta get 3 guys that we can pay to come in here that are going to go win championships together and we’re redoing the Lakers.”
It’s certainly been a fall from grace for a player who looked like one of the five best in the world just recently.
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Would Lakers Actually Trade AD?
After the Lakers won a championship in 2020, it looked like Davis was going to be with the team for a long time. It’s barely been over a year since that magical run but opinions on the big man are souring fast. He’s been accused of being soft and those accusations aren’t going anywhere as he deals with another injury.
The Lakers have shown no interest in trading him before. LeBron and Davis are extremely close and share an agent. It’s unlikely the team even brings up trade talks without LeBron’s blessing. The four-time MVP doesn’t have many years in the NBA left. He could get selfish and push the Lakers to trade his friend in order to add a player that makes a championship more feasible in the next couple of seasons. It’s still unlikely but if Davis keeps trending downwards, it’s something Los Angeles needs to consider.
Who Could the Lakers Trade Davis For?
Considering what the Lakers gave up to get Davis, it’s going to be difficult to get equal value for him. The only trade that would make sense is a superstar swap. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard would make the most sense. His elite shooting ability would fit really well next to LeBron. However, the Blazers may not be keen to trade the face of their franchise for Davis, who can’t seem to stay healthy.
Bradley Beal could be a realistic target. He’s another strong shooter and is the same age as Davis. That way the Lakers get a player that should make an impact for several years to come. Ben Simmons is available but he’s not as valuable as Davis. It’s not a trade the Lakers would make. The problem is that Davis’ ceiling is so much higher than almost any player in the NBA. Unless the Lakers can get Giannis Antetokounmpo, they could quickly regret trading Davis. At this point, it’s better to hold onto the superstar and see if they can get him back on track.
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