Getty Lakers big man Anthony Davis
Bill Simmons of The Ringer said on the November 7 episode of his podcast that he’s heard some buzz Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis may be available in trade talks. The Lakers are 2-8 on the season and Davis is shooting only 28.6% 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.”
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report wrote on November 8 that “dealing Davis isn’t just a way to change the course of a franchise circling the drain. It might be the only way.” The Bleacher Report insider proposed that the Lakers trade Davis and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant.
“From the Lakers’ side, this isn’t complicated. Durant just won Eastern Conference Player of the Week, his fourth such honor since the last time AD won his most recent one…on Dec. 9, 2019. Yes, Durant is four-and-a-half years Davis’ senior. And sure, KD has an injury history with a torn Achilles on it,” Hughes wrote. “But there’s really no debating that right now and for the last several seasons, Durant is and has been the better player. Davis has made four All-NBA teams; Durant has made 10, with his last one coming more recently (2021-22) than Davis’ (2019-20).”
Hughes believes Durant is the ideal player for LeBron James to pass the torch to on the Lakers. LBJ turns 38 in December and is shooting just 44.7% from the field and 21.0% from beyond the arc this season.
NBA Executive Talks Durant & Lakers
Durant requested a trade in the offseason before the Nets announced in August they would “move forward with our partnership.” The future Hall of Famer could renew his trade request after the team’s slow start, especially with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving suspended for tweeting a link to an antisemitic video.
“I’m assuming there’s some sort of agreement with Kevin,” an NBA executive told Sam Amick of The Athletic on November 7. “Like, ‘Look, if you want to move, we’ll move you. And we’re not going to move you to New Orleans and we’re not going to move you to Sacramento and we’re not going to move you to Indiana.’ So if the best Brooklyn can do is the Lakers, then if I was the Lakers, that’s what I’d be waiting on.”
The Lakers are allowed to trade Davis and draft picks to the Nets for Durant under CBA rules. Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with Los Angeles in December 2020. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025. Meanwhile, Durant agreed to a four-year, $194 million extension with Brooklyn in August 2021.
LeBron & Durant Would Be Lethal Together
James and Durant playing together on the same team would be lethal. The King and KD are two of the greatest scorers in NBA history. James (27.1) is fifth all-time in career points per game, while Durant (27.2) is fourth.
“Outside of an anomalous bubble run in 2020, Davis hasn’t looked worthy of receiving the torch LeBron will eventually pass,” Hughes wrote in his column. “Durant would give the Lakers something more valuable than an heir to the franchise throne: a player who’s better than James today.”
James and Davis have the same agent: Rich Paul of Kluch Sports. Most NBA execs don’t expect the Lakers to move Davis, who is averaging 23.2 points and 10.3 rebounds on the season. However, if Los Angeles wants to trade the Chicago native, the franchise should do whatever it takes to acquire Durant.