Amid the many opinions about the Los Angeles Lakers, the team is enjoying its best start to a season since the 2019-20 campaign, the year L.A. won the NBA championship.
Of course, a lot of the Lakers’ early success has to do with Luka Doncic, who is firmly among the frontrunners for the league MVP award, though there is plenty of running left to do in this 82-game marathon.
Meanwhile, the Lakers’ hot start hasn’t erased the rampant trade rumor mill that often burns hot around the franchise.
A Lakers Reunion With This Former All-Star Center?
One of the more compelling storylines that recently emerged around the Lakers is a potential Anthony Davis reunion. Davis, 33, reportedly “wants to return to the Lakers,” according to ESPN’s Scott Kaplan. While Davis, who erupted for 44 points in his most recent game, would clearly give the Lakers more superstar firepower, acquiring him would come at a steep cost, as Lakers journalist Jovan Buha detailed.
“The thing with AD that I’ve mentioned recently is that he is just making too much money (that) it’s difficult for L.A. to execute a trade for him without giving up Walker (Kessler) or Austin (Reaves),” Buha said during a recent live stream episode of his “Buha’s Block” podcast. “There is a way to do a four-for-one (trade) (Quentin) Grimes, (Sandro) Mamu(kelashvili) (Jarred Vanderbilt) and (Collin) Sexto, but now you’re decimating your depth, you’re gonna have to pay AD — he’s gonna want a contract extension — and there’s no guarantee that he’s able to make it through 82 games plus the playoffs.”
There has been plenty said about Davis and his future with the Washington Wizards, who acquired the 10-time All-Star from the Dallas Mavericks ahead of last season’s trade deadline. It was reported in the offseason that Davis is seeking a max contract extension. With the Wizards unlikely to make such a commitment to Davis, who has a rather rich injury history, there is some speculation that Davis and the Wizards could look to move on via trade.
L.A.’s Realistic Shot at a Davis Reunion
Especially if the Wizards maintain the underwhelming pace they have established early this season, Davis cannot be counted out as a potential buyout candidate. It sure seems like a longshot that Washington would buyout the north of $121 million remaining on Davis’ $175.4 million deal, especially if he proves that he is still an elite big man. If Davis consistently looks even close to the guy who scored 44 points against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, the Wizards would be foolish to deal Davis for anything less than an impressive haul of assets.
But if Davis does somehow manage to shake free in Washington, the Lakers would then be foolish not to strongly pursue a reunion.
“If he’s a buyout guy, that’s a different conversation, and I think it would make a ton of sense, of course,” Buha expressed. “… Barring that, I don’t think the Lakers have the trade salaries to make (a trade for Davis) work.”
Lakers Warned Against 4-for-1 Trade for $58M Superstar to Pair With Luka Doncic