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Stephen A. Smith says Lakers should consider trading Anthony Davis for Damian Lillard
- Updated: July 19, 2021
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
During a recent episode of “First Take,” ESPN anchor Stephen A. Smith had a wild idea for how the Los Angeles Lakers could pull off a deal for Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard.
Smith’s idea involved trading away eight-time All-Star Anthony Davis to acquire Lillard.
“I would even consider trading Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers to get Damian Lillard with LeBron James. Because this season, Anthony Davis missed more games, or just as many games, as Damian Lillard missed his entire career,” Smith said. “I would actually consider that if I were Portland, and I were the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Realistically, there is very little chance of Davis being traded away from the Lakers, as he is inarguably one of the best players in the NBA and is a fantastic fit with this Los Angeles team. There is a lot of truth to Smith’s notion that Davis missed substantial time due to injuries during the 2020-21 regular season, but Davis was an integral part of the Lakers’ title run during the 2019-20 season, and he likely isn’t going anywhere.
As a Laker, Davis has averaged 24.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game over two seasons. He has shot the ball at a 49.9 percent clip from the field and a 30.8 percent clip from beyond the arc.
There is no denying that Lillard is a generational talent himself, but he is on the wrong side of 30 years old, and there are no guarantees that he would fit in with the Lakers better than Davis does. During the 2020-21 regular season, Lillard averaged 28.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
Lillard is known best for his ability to hit 3-pointers from virtually anywhere on the court. He made 39.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc this season.
The past few weeks have been filled with rumors about Lillard’s future with the Trail Blazers.
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