It is looking more and more likely that the Los Angeles Lakers will open the regular season with their current core players.
The organization has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors in the past months. After a disappointing season in the 2021-22 campaign, it is not that surprising to see many people wanting L.A. to shake up the roster.
Russell Westbrook is the player widely expected to be moved if a major trade does occur. However, there is also some sense to dealing away Anthony Davis. Some within the Lakers even reportedly want to gauge the former All-Star big man’s trade value.
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com recently spoke to a Western Conference executive who deemed the Chicago Bulls as a viable trade partner for a Davis deal.
“The main way it would happen if it was going to happen was to get Davis somewhere he wants to go, and the main place he’d want to go is Chicago, where he’s from,” the executive told Deveney. “Now, some guys do not want to play in their hometown but I think A.D. would welcome that, he spoke on that before. Doesn’t mean it would happen, they have not gone out and tried to trade him, but there could be something simple like Zach LaVine for A.D., you get a pair of guys going to places they really want to be. It would have to wait until January but that would be the deal that makes the most sense if A.D. is going to change teams.”
Bringing in LaVine would certainly add firepower to a Lakers offense that ranked just 22nd in offensive rating last season. What LaVine has going for him over Davis is availability.
Davis is no doubt one of the best two-way players in the league. Unfortunately, his durability has been put into question in recent years. In the past two seasons, the eight-time All-Star has appeared in a combined 76 regular season games.
On the other hand, LaVine looks like he fully recovered from an ACL injury he sustained in 2017. In the 2021-22 campaign, he played in 67 contests and earned a second straight All-Star berth.
Only time will tell if Davis continues playing for the Purple and Gold.
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