Lakers Rumors: Is LA Looking To Trade Injury-Prone Anthony Davis This Offseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers had a tough season as they failed to make it to the postseason due to injuries and inconsistencies. The last time LA won the championship was in 2020 when LeBron James and newly acquired Anthony Davis played a major role. Davis moved to the LA Lakers during the summer of 2019. His addition to the roster paid off quickly as the franchise beat the Miami Heat in the Walt Disney World bubble. Soon after, the eight-time All-Star was offered a five-year, $189.9 million contract in December 2020.

Since the 29-year-old signed the lucrative contract with the Lakers, he has played only 76 games over the last two seasons due to a series of injuries. Last year, the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns during the first round of playoffs, while the franchise even filed to make it to the postseason this year. Anthony suffered from a mid-foot sprain and was sidelined for a long time. He only played 40 games for the lakers in the 2021-22 season, averaging 23.2 points with 9.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Thus, Davis\’ health concerns could be a reason why NBA experts think that the Lakers might consider trading the All-Star this off-season.

Trading Davis To Atlanta Hawks Could Benefit The Lakers

Recently, Bleacher Report\’s Zach Buckley suggested that the lakers could trade Davis to the Hawks. LA could potentially acquire John Collins, Kevin Huerter, and a 2023 first-round pick in exchange for Anthony. Buckley mentioned that the Lakers could expand their talent base by trading the All-Star and still have some assets left for further trades. Davis\’ trade would provide the Lakers with enough resources to brother a couple more deals to strengthen the roster. 

The deal will result in the addition of two highly-skilled players in the form of Collins and Huerter. The duo has averaged more than 28 points per game during the 2021-22 season, shooting 36% from range. In addition, none of the two players have injury troubled like Davis, who only played forty games this season. Although, The Hawks lost to the Miami Heat during the first round of the playoffs after five games. Collins averaged 16.2 points with 7.8 rebounds. Meanwhile, Hunter scored at a rate of 12.1 points with 2.7 assists per game during the regular season. Thus, Collins and Huerter could prove to be the right fits to play around LeBron James. However, the question is if the lakers are really interested in getting rid of a star player like Anthony Davis, who is just 29-year-old.

Will The Lakers Trade Antony Davis?

The Lakers might not trade Anthony Davis as he was brought to the team by LeBron James. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports manages both James and Davis. Thus, if LA tried to get rid of Anthony, it might upset LeBron, who will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. As per HoopsHype\’s Micheal Scotto, LeBron James and Anthony Davis could be the foundation of the title contention for the Lakers if they stay completely healthy. There have been health concerns about Anthony and LeBron, who have missed a fair share of matches in the past two years. However, Micheal pointed out that Davis was the one who approached clutch Sports to get a trade deal from the Lakers.

Moreover, he and LeBron have good on and off-court chemistry. The lakers have struggled with chemistry already this season. Hence, they would not like to jeopardize losing James if they get rid of Davis. The Lakers have won 75 and lost 33 games since 2019-20, when James and Davis have played. Thus, if the duo stays healthy next season, the lakers could have a real chance of winning the NBA championship in 2023.