Getty Lakers star Anthony Davis
In a November 8 column called “Landing Spots and Trade Packages for Lakers Star Anthony Davis,” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed that the Los Angeles Lakers trade Anthony Davis to the New York Knicks.
In Hughes’ hypothetical trade, the Lakers sent Davis to the Knicks in exchange for RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes and multiple draft picks.
“If the Lakers ever trade Davis, they’ll probably do it for a package that brings back a single premium asset,” Hughes wrote. “It’s generally bad business to accept four quarters for a dollar, but the reasons most teams shy away from constructions like this don’t quite apply here. For starters, the entire back end of the Lakers roster is made up of fungible, barely-in-the-league types who could be waived to make space without much regret. In addition, that haul of future first-rounders would sweeten the pot and provide transactional flexibility L.A. lacks. Perhaps acquiring so many picks would make the Lakers more comfortable with a (Russell) Westbrook deal that cost two of their own.”
Bill Simmons of The Ringer said on the November 7 episode of his podcast he’s heard some buzz that Davis may be available in trade talks. The Lakers are 2-8 on the season and Davis is shooting just 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.”
This Would Be a Bad Trade for the Lakers
Barrett and Robinson aren’t stars. Neither guy can shoot from the perimeter and Robinson isn’t an offensive threat in the post like Davis is.
Barrett is averaging 19.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists this season while shooting 43.1% from the field, 29.3% from beyond the arc and 81.4% from the free-throw line. He’s not a good shooter, which makes him a poor fit alongside Lakers superstar LeBron James. Barrett has been an inefficient scorer since entering the NBA in 2019. He’s a career 41.9% shooter from the floor.
Robinson is a talented rebounder and shot-blocker, holding career averages of 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. However, he doesn’t have an offensive toolbox. The big man has career averages of only 8.4 points. The Lakers’ offense would become even worse than it currently is with Robinson on the floor instead of Davis, who is averaging 23.2 points and 10.3 rebounds this season.
Toppin and Grimes are young role players who have plenty of room to grow. However, acquiring them in a deal for Davis without getting any All-Stars in return would make no sense for the Lakers.
The Lakers Need to Get a Big Return for Davis
The Lakers need to get a big return for Davis — one of the greatest players in NBA history — if they trade him.
“If we’re not going to duck things, this won’t happen but the clearest path to the Lakers course correcting is trading Anthony Davis,” Matt Moore of the Action Network tweeted on October 27. “He’ll return a ton even with the injuries, reset the asset chest, and ultimately it would be a net positive given his unavailability. The idea of Anthony Davis is now several significant degrees beyond the reality.”
Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025. The eight-time All-Star always seems to be hurt, leaving James hung out to dry, which is why many pundits believe the Lakers should move on from him.