The Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers are both teams that disappointed this season, and it seems as though both teams will be busy this offseason. The Lakers have already gotten a lot of new players to join their roster in free agency due to their poor season. The Nets are in disarray, especially after Kevin Durant’s trade request and Kyrie Irving’s presumed desire to leave for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Perhaps the two teams could help one another out and make a trade with each other. The trade scenario featured in this article would have the Lakers send Anthony Davis alongside Russell Westbrook, while getting two star-level players back in Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. This trade would get the Brooklyn Nets an elite player to be the face of their franchise while giving the Lakers a new big three.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook
The Lakers Create A New Big Three While Reuniting LeBron James And Kyrie Irving
The Los Angeles Lakers would be getting Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons in this scenario, two players that, when healthy, play at an All-Star level. This trade would allow the Los Angeles Lakers franchise to become more competitive while retaining flexibility in the future.
Giving up Anthony Davis definitely hurts the Los Angeles Lakers, as he is one of the most dominant big men in the league when healthy, providing a significant impact on both ends of the floor. However, this trade would allow them to move off Russell Westbrook’s contract while getting two All-Star caliber players to put next to LeBron James. Russell Westbrook was notably a poor fit with LeBron James, likely due to both players’ ball-dominant nature. This trade would also allow the Lakers to retain their future first-round picks, giving them some assets they can use in the future.
Kyrie Irving would give the Los Angeles Lakers a three-level scorer that can play off the ball. Ben Simmons would give them one of the best defensive players in the league and someone who can also finish at the rim and provide ballhandling to give LeBron James a break offensively. They could definitely be a good fit for the Los Angeles Lakers, as defense and shot creation were both problems for the team last season.
Overall, this trade would let the Lakers reunite LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who won a championship together in 2016. They would also be getting a fantastic defensive player in Ben Simmons, and he is someone who can improve the athleticism on the roster and help the Lakers get through the regular season.
The Nets Get Back A Top-Tier Big Man For Ben Simmons And Kyrie Irving
For the Brooklyn Nets, this trade would serve multiple purposes. Obviously, they would be getting a franchise cornerstone in Anthony Davis. He would become the No. 1 option for them off the bat, and while he has had some down seasons recently, he is an absolute force when healthy. Davis is only 29 currently and could still be good for years to come. He is also better individually than both Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. The Nets clearly want to move on from Kyrie Irving, and throwing in Ben Simmons to the deal to get Anthony Davis seems like a no-brainer.
Moving Ben Simmons in this deal would also affect a potential Kevin Durant trade. Currently, a lot of young star players such as Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell cannot be traded to the Nets due to CBA rules preventing two players with designated rookie max extensions from being on the same team via trade. Therefore, moving Ben Simmons would likely improve the quality of packages that the Brooklyn Nets would receive from teams around the league.
Adding Russell Westbrook for one season could be good for the team, especially if the Brooklyn Nets plan on remaining competitive after moving Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He is still a solid floor general, and perhaps he will do better in a new environment on the Nets.
There is no doubt that this trade would benefit the Brooklyn Nets not only on the court but also in terms of getting the best return for Kevin Durant. Moving Ben Simmons before he has played a game for the franchise would be a risky move, but perhaps Anthony Davis’ talent can make up for giving two All-Star level players up in a trade.
This Trade Is A Good Move For Both Teams
This trade would let the Brooklyn Nets get a franchise cornerstone that can be the face of their team in Anthony Davis. They would also get rid of Kyrie Irving, a player that they’ve had issues with in the process.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, this allows them to recreate a championship-level duo in LeBron James and Kyrie Irving while also getting a top-tier defender in Ben Simmons. They would also retain their first-round picks for the future. This trade seems beneficial for both teams, and we’ll see if the two teams end up working out a deal with a similar framework in the future.
