The Los Angeles Lakers are once again going through a difficult patch during an NBA season, as they are 14th in the Western Conference with a terrible 2-9 record. Out of 11 games, they have barely managed to win the two games they have won and are struggling against any team that is above average in the slightest. Again, the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook should be enough to guide a team to at least a top-4 seed. Instead, they look primed to miss the playoffs again.
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks
- Chicago Bulls
- Phoenix Suns
- Brooklyn Nets
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Anthony Davis is arguably a top-5 player in the game when healthy, but the issue is that the big man is hardly available. He cannot stay healthy for any significant amount of time, leaving the Lakers consistently shorthanded. Without Davis leading the Lakers in scoring as he did during the 2020 season, the team has little to no chance to compete. Of course, the play of Russell Westbrook was been largely scrutinized because he was a major addition to the team after the Lakers gave up a host of pieces to get him.
With this season basically over for the Lakers, it might be time for the legendary franchise to move on from their most valuable asset: Anthony Davis. At nearly 30 years old, it is very likely that Davis will not stay healthy for the rest of his career and will likely not play at least 70 games going forward. The last time Davis played at least 70 games, he was with the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2018 season. Not to mention, there is widespread speculation that Anthony Davis could be on the move as the Lakers cannot afford to keep losing games. Even renowned analyst and media member Bill Simmons seems to be convinced the Lakers are shopping the 8-time All-Star.
Luckily, Davis still has high trade value because of his incredible talent. There will be teams across the league who will scramble for the 8-time All-Star’s signature because he might be worth the risk. For a Lakers team with a nearly 38-year-old LeBron James, they cannot afford to have Davis continue to miss games and can cash in with these 5 trade offers. Without further ado, here are the 5 best destinations where the Lakers can ship off Anthony Davis.
Sacramento Kings
Trade Details: Anthony Davis for Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Davion Mitchell, 2024 First-Round Pick
Sacramento is irrelevant to the majority of NBA fans because they have not made the playoffs since 2006. De’Aaron Fox is a speedster with the ball and is currently playing inspired basketball by averaging 26.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.8 APG. He seems to be the cornerstone for the Kings, and he probably should be when looking at the roster from top to bottom. What about rookie Keegan Murray and All-Star big Domantas Sabonis?
Sabonis was a nice pickup for the Kings, but he is not good enough to actually be the best player on the team. Rather, he should be paired with Murray and youngster Davion Mitchell to acquire a star in Anthony Davis. Moving cities might help Davis rediscover his best form and actually become the star of a team again. No doubt, a motivated Anthony Davis alongside Fox could take the Kings back into the playoffs again. But who wins this trade? Probably the Lakers.
LeBron James and Domantas Sabonis are both high-IQ basketball players and will mesh well on the court together. Murray is clearly a nice youngster, as he is putting up 12.9 PPG and4.1 RPG through 8 games. Youth and athleticism are what Murray can bring, things the Lakers need right now. Mitchell can defend and can become a younger version of Patrick Beverley on the squad and, hopefully, more. With this deal, the Lakers replace Davis with another All-Star while adding two pieces that can probably work in their rotation ahead of what they currently have.
Atlanta Hawks
Trade Details: Anthony Davis for John Collins, Clint Capela, 2023 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick
The Hawks were nowhere near the team they were in 2021 and were forced to compete for the play-in spot by the end of the season. Trae Young started for the Eastern Conference All-Stars, and he has had a great individual season by posting 28.0 PPG and 9.6 APG. The guard is one of the best offensive players in the game, and Atlanta should make changes to build around him. They certainly did one right move by bringing in All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to fortify their backcourt.
Young and Murray are solid offensively and also decent defensively, but they will need help. Currently, the Hawks have a 7-4 record and have looked solid all year. But Davis would take them to another level. Acquiring Anthony Davis could bolster the Hawks back into a top-3 seed in the East this year because he and Trae Young will be one of the best little-big duos in the league. The Hawks can go versatile with Davis down low and not worry about defensive strength due to Davis’ versatility.
This is a risk worth taking by the Hawks while the Lakers acquire 2 starters in their primes to place around LeBron James. Finally, Los Angeles will have bigs who can rebound, defend, and actually be a force in the paint. Davis has been a pushover on a physical level, but Collins and Capela will boost the Lakers’ depth in the frontcourt. A two-for-one deal gives the Lakers much-needed help on defense, and Collins is also a better outside shooter than Davis. For Lakers fans, they would wish this deal would go through now.
Chicago Bulls
Trade Details: Anthony Davis for DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, 2023 First-Round Pick
After starting the season on fire, Chicago’s injuries have seemingly caught up to them because they have fallen out of the top-4 rankings in the East. As great as DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have been, Chicago has not been able to hold onto its top spot in the conference. DeRozan is signed to a long-term contract, and Zach LaVine dedicated his future to the Bulls as well. But is the duo of DeRozan and LaVine good enough to win it? Probably not.
Chicago’s management might want to cash in on their star wing player if they are convinced only Zach will be a factor in the long term. DeRozan is best for a win-now club, especially as he nears 34 years of age. Chicago might want to reshuffle the squad to give LaVine a talented big man to form a unique little-big duo. In a trade deal involving DeRozan and starting center Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls will have enough to convince the Lakers to move on from Anthony Davis.
DeRozan is putting up 23.8 PPG on 50.3% FG with the Bulls, solid numbers for the 5-time All-Star. The Lakers would almost certainly pair DeRozan with LeBron at the expense of an injury-prone Davis. Of course, the Lakers blew it when they almost had a chance at grabbing him last year. Not to mention, Vucevic adds scoring and rebounding inside to boost the Lakers right back into contention with this deal.
Phoenix Suns
Trade Details: Anthony Davis for Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges
Phoenix could have trouble brewing as they are one of the most drama-filled franchises in the league. Chris Paul is getting older and is slowing down by the year. Devin Booker is young but has yet to prove he can reach the superstar level. Deandre Ayton does not want to be there, even if he signed a max deal to solidify his financial future. Of course, Robert Sarver is one of the most disliked figures in sports right now.
That has not slowed down the Suns on the floor, as they are 8-3 and playing some solid basketball. Unfortunately, the injury to Cam Johnson could further delay what Phoenix is trying to do. To make an effort to replace Johnson and remove negativity from the locker room, the Suns can pair Ayton and two-way wing Mikal Bridges to acquire an All-Star big to pair with Booker and Paul. For the Lakers, they will absolutely win this deal, however.
Ayton is only 24 years old and does have All-Star potential. There is no doubt LeBron James can bring that out of him because the center has the size, skill, and ability to be a 20-10 player on a nightly basis.
Bridges also becomes the Lakers’ best defender and outside shooter and will be an invaluable piece for them. A lineup with Russell Westbrook, Lonnie Walker, Mikal Bridges, LeBron James, and Deandre Ayton bring it on both ends of the court. Now, as things stand, Anthony Davis is the best player in this trade package but getting a two-for-one in terms of starting-caliber players is exactly what the Lakers need. They must load up on starters to actually contend in the West.
In order for this trade to go through, the Lakers will have to wait a little while. Ayton cannot be traded from the Suns until at least January 15, 2023. Even then, Ayton has veto power over any trade for a full year. In other words, the Lakers might have to do some convincing to bring the 24-year-old center on board.
Brooklyn Nets
Trade Details: Anthony Davis, 2027 First-Round Pick, 2029 First-Round Pick for Kevin Durant
The Brooklyn Nets have been a mess since the formation of the superteam led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Injuries, off-court distractions, and lack of focus have almost driven this franchise into the ground. After all, look at the list of polarizing figures they have brought into the roster: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Ben Simmons. Hiring disgraced coach Ime Udoka would have sunk the ship entirely.
Rather than praying that Kevin Durant can magically become a forceful leader and get the franchise on track, they can let him go and get two picks back in return. Anthony Davis and Ben Simmons can also lead the new generation in Brooklyn as they look to move on from Kyrie Irving next. The Nets will do this deal to save face and end the drama, but the Lakers absolutely win this deal. Is it realistic? Probably not, but we have seen strange things happen in the NBA before.
Kevin Durant and LeBron James would be one of the most terrifying duos in NBA history. They would become unstoppable together, even if the remainder of the roster lacks shooting. The Lakers will figure it out, especially since Russell Westbrook is off the books next year, and they can rebuild with shooters. No matter what the Nets want for Durant, the Lakers should abide. Losing Anthony Davis and their only first-round picks is worth the risk because LeBron James is showing age and won’t be around forever. If this deal happens, it could go down as one of the biggest trades in NBA history, and the Lakers would be at the heart of major news again.
