Charlotte Hornets Receive: F/C Anthony Davis

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F Gordon Hayward, F/C P.J. Washington, G James Bouknight, 2022 First-Round Pick (13th Pick – CHA), 2022 First-Round Pick (15th Pick – CHA)

Some Los Angeles Lakers fans won’t like this deal. Generally speaking, parting with the best player in a trade is not the safest avenue toward improvement.

Anthony Davis may be an exception to that rule. While the big man once heard his name in MVP chatter, that hasn’t been the case for the better part of two seasons.

It’s hard to fault Davis. Injuries have limited both his availability and effectiveness over that time frame. Regardless, it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll ever be the best version of himself again.

If the past two seasons are his new baseline, this is a great deal for the Lakers. They get deeper and younger by pulling the trigger here.

LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trades To Send Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis To Charlotte Hornets

Alternatively, if Davis returns to his previous form, the Lakers will live to regret this decision. Could they really take that risk?