As the Lakers continue to drop games, more and more thought is being given to their future — a future that may or may not include an intact James/Davis/Westbrook trio.
According to one league executive (who chose to stay anonymous), one trade could happen at some point this summer that involves Anthony Davis and Celtics wing player Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Aaron Nesmith.
With that in mind, one NBA front office executive recently told Heavy that he believes Boston could put forward a package to acquire the Los Angeles Lakers‘ Anthony Davis and that the deal wouldn’t need to include Celtics star Jayson Tatum. “It was no secret Danny wanted him (in 2019). He would have given up Tatum in a heartbeat for AD. They wanted to offer Brown, but it would have come down to Tatum. And he would have done it in the end, I think. Now the Lakers would want Tatum back, but there is no way the Celtics do that. “But put AD in a deal with Horton-Tucker for Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Aaron Nesmith? The Lakers would have to consider that. I’d take it,” said the executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
An anonymous NBA executive says the Lakers should consider an Anthony Davis for Jaylen Brown trade
“put AD in a deal with Horton-Tucker, for Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Aaron Nesmith? The Lakers would have to consider that. I’d take it.”
(Via https://t.co/kZ2xBLV9oL) pic.twitter.com/4Nv7i77Exk
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 1, 2022
Davis is the better player in his deal, no doubt, but his health has been a huge question mark since the end of the 2020 Championship. At this stage of his career, it’s more important than ever for LeBron James to have a partner who is reliable.
With Brown, Smart, and Nesmith, the Lakers would get young and dependable two-way players who could not only help the Purple and Gold win now but also set them up for the future.
In return, the Celtics get a dominant big to pair with Jayson Tatum. Together, they could bring Boston out of the East.
All-in-all, it’s a great trade for both sides that offers each what they need to succeed. We’ll see before too long whether it’s just wishful thinking or something that could become a reality before the 2022-23 season.
