The Los Angeles Lakers have been tipped to trade Anthony Davis to the New York Knicks for a flurry of picks in order to move for Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant to pair alongside LeBron James.
The Lakers are 2-7 after falling 114-100 at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. As a result of their poor start to the 2022/23 NBA season, Davis could be available for trade.
Heading into the season, many Lakers fans were unsettled by the lingering presence of Russell Westbrook - but the 2017 MVP has been unlocked by rookie head coach Darvin Ham. Westbrook has impressed in recent outings but a new headache has emerged in the form of a struggling James and Davis, the star duo who formed the nucleus of the Lakers championship-winning team in 2020.
Davis is playing through back issues and yet is snagging 11.1 rebounds per game, but the 29-year-old’s 22.5 points per contest is significantly below his 26.1 during the title run in 2019/20. His most significant dip since the title has been from three-point range, where he's currently at 23.1%.
American sports analyst Bill Simmons suggested the Lakers could flip Davis as he is their most attractive trade asset, while questions still linger about his health. The Knicks have been touted as a potential destination for the eight-time All-Star.
“We know the Knicks would love to get a star,” Simmons said on his show, The Bill Simmons Podcast. “They've got a couple of different directions where they could go. [Julius] Randle could be in the trade if they wanted to do a big salary, or they could patch together some - if the Lakers don't want a salary - so they could do a version of that.
“They have all the young guards, they have [Obi] Toppin, and a bunch of picks. For me that's a get out of jail free card for the Lakers in a lot of ways. And if you're the Knicks, they have the Kentucky history with AD, obviously West was there way back when and he's involved with the Knicks now.
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“If you're the Lakers, what do you want from the Knicks? What do you ask for? What are you trying to get? Are you trying to get a bunch of picks? What are you trying to use?”
Former Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor suggested how the Lakers could then engineer the haul of picks to move for Durant. Acquiring Durant and bringing him to Los Angeles would certainly allow the franchise to try and win while they still have James in his twilight years.
“I want six first-round picks and then I'd plan to flip them for Kevin Durant over the summer,” O’Conner declared. “That's what I'd want to do if I was the Lakers.
“That would be my ultimate dream, doesn't mean I could do it, but that's what I'd want to set myself up for, to go get Kevin Durant.”
Earlier this offseason, Durant dropped a bombshell on the Nets organisation when he handed in his trade request and allegedly gave the franchise an ultimatum to either fire general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash or send him to another team. Ultimately, wounds were healed and all parties appear to be confident the 34-year-old is remaining in Brooklyn for the long term - but the Lakers could move for the former MVP amid further drama surrounding the Nets.
