Getty Lakers star Anthony Davis
In a November 14 column called “Four Anthony Davis Trades for the Lakers to Ponder,” Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni proposed that the Los Angeles Lakers trade Anthony Davis to the Golden State Warriors.
Nadkarni’s hypothetical trade had the Lakers sending Davis to the Warriors for Draymond Green, James Wiseman and Donte DiVincenzo.
“Los Angeles probably won’t do this, considering how rough Wiseman’s start to the season has been. And Draymond has been one of the better Warriors so far this year. However, with both teams struggling through the first month of the season, if those struggles continue, I could see each side talking themselves into this move,” Nadkarni wrote. “Golden State gets an actual star who could help now and possibly slightly extend their contention window. Green gets to join forces with James, and the Lakers also add a No. 2 pick and veteran role player. Both teams don’t necessarily solve their issues with this move, but it could provide a jolt if neither can work through their first-month malaise.”
Nadkarni’s post came in the wake of Bill Simmons of The Ringer saying on the November 7 episode of his podcast he’s heard some buzz that Davis may be available in trade talks. The Lakers are 3-10 on the season and Davis is shooting just 25.0% from beyond the arc.
“There’s some buzz, just some buzzing that AD might be available,” Simmons said on his podcast. “That is a Plan B because the (Russell) Westbrook trade, or what they can get for Westbrook, whether you want to give future assets, maybe that doesn’t even make sense for the Lakers.”
This Trade Probably Won’t Happen
While Nadkarni’s trade can happen under CBA rules, the Lakers probably won’t trade Davis this season. According to a November 10 report from Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Los Angeles is not considering trading AD, who has the same agent as LeBron James.
“And while it’s been a talking point on social media, the Lakers are not considering trading Davis, according to sources,” Haynes reported. “For any dialogue of that nature to occur, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul would have received calls from interested teams inquiring if his client would agree to an extension if they traded for him. Those conversations have not taken place, sources say.”
Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020 after helping the purple and gold win the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble over the Miami Heat. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025.
James, Green and Davis are represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Green, who would become an unrestricted free agent next summer if he declined his 2023-24 player option, punched Warriors guard Jordan Poole in the face before the season started, so his future in Golden State is “up in the air,” league sources told Heavy.com.
Stephen A. Smith: Green Wants to Play for the Lakers
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on the October 10 episode of “First Take” that Green wants to play for the Lakers. The Michigan State product is very close friends with James.
“I can tell you right now that Draymond Green is expecting this to be his last year in Golden State,” Smith said. “Now he wanna be a Laker. He ain’t gonna tell anybody that, but don’t think I don’t know. He’d prefer to be a Laker if he gotta leave Golden State.”
Green has won four championships with the Warriors, with three of them coming against James when the King was on the Cleveland Cavaliers. In March, the Golden State forward said on his podcast that James is just as much of a GOAT as Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is.