The Los Angeles Lakers could move off Anthony Davis and trade him in the off-season should he fail to lead the 17-time NBA champions to the playoffs.
Despite a brutal injury to LeBron James, the Lakers have stayed in the mix for the postseason and secured a crucial 111-105 win over the Orlando Magic at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night. Austin Reaves took over with 35 points while Davis contributed with a solid defensive showing, tallying 11 rebounds and four blocks in the win.
However, the eight-time All-Star ultimately struggled offensively as he shot 6-for-15 from the floor to the tune of 15 points. The performance came after some more impressive performances (26 points versus the Dallas Mavericks and 35 points versus the New Orleans Pelicans) but Davis’ shooting has faltered recently.
He only scored eight points in the win over the Toronto Raptors earlier this month, and many within the Lakers organisation hoped Davis would step up and deliver after James suffered an ill-timed foot injury. The 39-year-old James appears to be gearing up towards a return as the 10th-place Lakers seek to make the playoffs - but rumours concerning Davis’ future in Los Angeles are swirling.
Ultimately, Davis cannot play the second leg of back-to-backs. Without the big man, the Lakers slipped to a disappointing loss to the Houston Rockets while his missed free throws contributed to the agonising defeat against the Mavericks. As a result, NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett believes Davis could be traded out of town should the Lakers fail to make the playoffs this season.
“I think in these next two weeks, this is featured Anthony Davis to see what he can do in two weeks to manoeuvre the Lakers,” Garnett said on All The Smoke Podcast. “If he doesn’t make a pivotal shift, if this don’t make a pivotal move, or it don’t really move anything? I think they’re gonna come off the Anthony Davis project and move him this summer.”
Trading Davis in the offseason would perhaps have some benefits for the Lakers. The 30-year-old is essentially entering a contract year next season given he has an early termination option, while James could also leave LA as he wants to play with son Bronny. If James leaves, Davis may too - so the Lakers will want to maximise their value for him.
Realistically though, the Lakers are not a franchise that makes such moves. The front office will be desperate to have another shot at an NBA championship and Davis - a key player in the 2020 title win - provides sufficient quality.
Davis’ 35-37 Lakers face the Phoenix Suns in their next contest on Wednesday night. The Suns possess a 38-33 record and sit fourth in the Western Conference - six places above Los Angeles.
