The Los Angeles Lakers have been at the center of several trade rumors this offseason, with Russell Westbrook being involved in a lot of them.
Rumors continue to swirl, and there are reportedly some within the Lakers organization that want to see what the team could get for Anthony Davis on the trade market. It seems like everything depends on what happens with LeBron James.
“A lot of that depends on where LeBron winds up,” an anonymous Western Conference executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “If he stays in Los Angeles and he stays a Laker, he had a lot personally invested in A.D. being there so, yes, in that case, Davis stays. But it is not a sure thing. There are some in that organization who would not mind seeing what they can bring back for A.D., but they would not do it with LeBron there. You get to 2024, though, and maybe things change.
“The Lakers have A.D. for two more years for sure, and they can only hope he stays healthy. But after that, they have to think, is this guy really our future? He can’t stay on the floor. And he has to think, do I want to be here without LeBron? That’s why the Lakers do not want to give up those future picks.”
The discussion might be a moot point for now, considering that James and the Lakers are reportedly leaning toward extending their partnership through a contract extension. The four-time MVP is also reportedly “extremely happy” in L.A.
Even so, the Lakers’ recent struggles might have the organization exploring every possible option to improve the team. The Purple and Gold have found success with James and Davis as their top players, winning the 2020 title. However, James is already 37 years old, and Davis has failed to stay healthy.
James has proven that he is still one of the best players in the league even at his age. Last season, the 18-time NBA All-Star recorded 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He also averaged a career-high 2.9 3-pointers per contest.
As for Davis, he has shown that he is an elite big man. He has career averages of 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Unfortunately, injuries have caused him to miss a significant number of games the past two seasons.
It will be interesting to see if James and Davis continue to be a part of the Lakers franchise for the next few years.
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