The 2021-22 NBA play-in tournament is underway and the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t part of it. There have been several seasons for their abysmal season, but at the end of the day, the Lakers had a phenomenal team on paper and shouldn’t have missed the playoffs.
The after-effects of the underwhelming season by the Purple & Gold are already showing. The franchise has already started to take steps towards not repeating this season’s issues.
For starters, they have sacked their head coach Frank Vogel. Additionally, Russell Westbrook is constantly in the headlines about being traded to other teams.
While most anticipated this to happen, what they didn’t anticipate was superstar Anthony Davis’ name also being floated around in trade rumors. Renowned analyst Colin Cowherd recently suggested a blockbuster trade between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors around AD. He said:
“In the NFL you can cut guys, trade guys, no obstacles… it’s easy to go from really bad to really good really fast if you get the right quarterback and the right coach. In the NBA you’re in quicksand if you’re bad. You don’t have draft picks and that’s where the Lakers are. You gotta take a big swing because the LA market is more crowded than ever — two NFL teams, Lincoln Riley at USC, the Clippers are now viable… The Lakers are not going to be patient, that’s not what the Lakers are going to do, so I’ll throw this at you…
You call up Golden State, ‘Jordan Poole is becoming a star and you’re looking at Klay Thompson’s contract going ‘ehhhh’. We will take Klay Thompson, give us James Wiseman, a big who is a project and can’t stay healthy. We will take those two headaches, Jordan Poole with solve one of the headaches, and we will give you Anthony Davis, and that solves the other headache.’ Davis may not play 82 games, but you won’t need him for that. The Lakers get maybe a draft pick, James Wiseman, Klay Thompson. The Warriors will cry at the press conference and say they love Klay, but quietly, Jordan Poole is becoming an All-Star and they want him to play 40 minutes a night, and you can’t with Klay around.”
Lakers get: Klay Thompson and James Wiseman
Warriors get: Anthony Davis@ColinCowherd unveils his trade idea to @RicBucher pic.twitter.com/fsLEvr92tF
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 11, 2022
Upon hearing this suggestion by Cowherd, of course, fans weren’t happy to hear it. Here is how fans reacted to it.
Lol. Yea right warriors would nvr do that nonsense. Klay is better than AD, who is injury prone, & wiseman is a prospect lol what is this nonsense? Wiseman & wiggums for AD, & even then don’t think warriors would do it.
— Mr. (@MCUsuperfan) April 11, 2022
So not only would this trade not work within the NBA rules because the money is off, but LAL (who let Caruso walk to avoid paying him and the luxury tax) are trading away the future of their franchise for a project big and an aging Klay, and paying $12M+extra lux tax penalties?
— Chris (@notaroIemodeI) April 12, 2022
Tell me why on earth would the warriors accept this trade !?
— Vasile Georgiou (@vasileG) April 11, 2022
I wouldn’t want AD. He’s hurt more than he’s healthy. You paying the man to sit on the bench and cheer.
— Brian Luck (@brianluck49) April 11, 2022
We wouldn’t trade Klay for AD straight up. Why in the world would the warriors trade one of the best 2 way wings in the world for a forward that can’t stay healthy and can’t handle other elite big men?
— Previn Naidu 🇺🇸🇸🇬🌉🗽 (@PrevDiesel) April 11, 2022
https://twitter.com/Les___Heat/status/1513592753187344386
Good take. Poole and Kuminga will want to start so they will leave if nothing is done. Still have Payton, Toscano and Moody as backups.
— mydog (@saiseeg) April 11, 2022
https://twitter.com/BigB56198224/status/1513603903757062147
You are out of your mind. 😂🤣😁Trade Klay for that injury prone AD who is never available and give them Wiseman and a draft pick too. . What on heaven's earth have you been smoking? As a Warrior's fan, I can't even get pissed off at you, it's hilarious!!
— Kathy Sablan (@KathySablan) April 11, 2022
Klay finished the season averaging 20+ on 39% 3PT shooting…in what way is he not the same Klay??
— NBA Pass (@nba_pass) April 11, 2022
Everyone blowing this Klay struggling narrative. An injured Klay shot 38.5% from 3 on almost 10 attempts this season and averages over 20 ppg. Looking at Steph, he would be a headache too considering he shot about the same. The Klay disrespect this season is sad.
— Nicron (@Matthew_Nug) April 11, 2022
Lol the Warriors just laughed you right out of California for that. AD and Russ are going to be really hard to move. Russ cause he’s not a team guy and AD may as well just say I’ll give you 20 solid games a season…and no postseason whatsoever. Garbage take
— Andy (@drewwyoung1) April 11, 2022
You can’t be serious. Street clothes Davis for Klay. Injury prone Davis. That’s not even a trade up for discussion. Y’all can do better than that. Stop it!!!
— Cynthia (@MzSlimH) April 14, 2022
I admire Colin…
I really do…
But this has got to be one of his worst takes…
Jordan Poole might be a future all-star, but Steph and Klay perfectly compliments one another…
Splash brothers, the only true 'brothers' born on an NBA court…
They deserve to retire in GS…
— Milan V (@milan_sports) April 11, 2022
Imagine thinking Klay and Wiseman are headaches for the Warriors.
How daF do you have this job?
— Captain Hopium (@b_crane1) April 11, 2022
Now, this is a very controversial trade proposed by the veteran analyst. It is true that Poole is becoming a star, it is still hard to see the Warriors give up so easily on Klay. After all, he has been part of the multiple championship teams that the Warriors have created in the recent past.
As for the Lakers, Davis helped the team win an NBA Championship in 2020. He might be injury prone but when he is at his best, there aren’t many players that can outplay the Lakers superstar.
At least for the 2022-23 season, the Lakers shouldn’t trade AD. But if his woes continue, the Lakers might eventually have to trade the 29-year-old.
