The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers ended their 2022-23 NBA seasons in a similar way: getting zero Conference Finals wins. They looked ready to challenge everybody as soon as the playoffs started, but their rivals did a terrific job stopping them.
Now, these two teams could make some interesting moves during the offseason, and Bill Simmons recently proposed a trade involving one superstar from each team.
“I just don’t see how they get somebody good without Davis being involved. The other guy I think is still a possibility is Embiid,” Simmons said on his podcast, via Heavy. “…I think if Embiid’s going to leave Philly, I think it would be for a situation like the Lakers. Like, if we did a fantasy draft now of stories that are going to pop up over the next four weeks, I’d be like, ‘Hmm, that one’s weird.’
“I would have the Joel Embiid, he doesn’t want to get traded but if he ever did…That one would be a first-rounder [in the fantasy draft of offseason storylines] for me. And I don’t know if that’s enough, they have nothing else to throw in from the Davis side, the Lakers, because they basically traded everything [at the 2023 trade deadline]. My guess is everybody comes back and they operate around the fringes and then try to figure out the Kyrie [Irving] piece of this.”
This big-man exchange could be beneficial for both teams, a win-win situation for the Sixers and Lakers. However, these two players have something in common: they tend to underperform in the postseason. After winning the 2020 NBA championship, Anthony Davis has struggled to show his best version in the playoffs, even getting a lot of criticism after this year’s Western Conference Finals.
As for Embiid, he’s yet to make it past the second round of the playoffs, and in the last five years, he suffered four second-round losses, as well as one sweep in the first round of the 2020 playoffs. The Cameroonian-born big man wants to take that final step, but he’s yet to compete at the highest level when his team needs him the most.
Rival Teams Are Reportedly Monitoring Anthony Davis’ Situation On The Lakers
While it’s harder to see the Sixers dealing Embiid anytime soon, the Los Angeles Lakers could part ways with Anthony Davis if the right offer comes to their table. The big man is yet to find his best version again, shrinking in crunch time, leaving the Lakers helpless against their rivals.
The Dallas Mavericks have been mentioned as a potential trade destination for Davis, while the New York Knicks could be a good option for him too. Davis remains a good player in the NBA, but he’s shown that he’s not what people want him to be. Perhaps a change of air will bring a lot of benefits to him, but right now, he’s staying on the Lakers.
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