To the surprise of virtually no one, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled mightily to begin the 2022-23 NBA season. While they have gotten things figured out for the most part defensively, this team is severely flawed on the offensive side of the court.
Los Angeles is currently 7th in the NBA in Defensive Rating but 29th in Offensive Rating. The Lakers have the second-highest pace in the NBA but it is doing nothing in terms of helping them get easy baskets or score with efficiency.
With the Houston Rockets being the only team in the NBA with fewer victories than the Lakers, panic is beginning to set in for the purple and gold. This isn’t a very good roster and they are running the risk of wasting another season of LeBron James, who is dealing with some foot soreness and has already been announced out for their matchup Monday night against the Utah Jazz.
Lacking options and avenues to improve this roster and their future outlook, some have wondered aloud if Rob Pelinka would entertain trade offers for Anthony Davis. Davis is still only 29 years old and in the prime of his career.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
According to Bill Simmons, there is some buzz that Davis may be available for trade.
“So, the Lakers lost again [Sunday]. There’s some buzz, some buzzing that AD might be available. That that’s a Plan B. Because the Westbrook trade, or whatever they think they can get for Westbrook and whether you want to give up future assets, maybe that doesn’t even make sense because what are you getting if you’re the Lakers?”
Russell Westbrook has taken well to his role change as he is thriving while coming off the bench for the Lakers. He has been easily their best and most consistent player since the change was made, looking more like the player we’ve become accustomed to seeing before he arrived in Los Angeles.
While figuring things out with him seems to be their Plan A, maybe that is something that should change. If they part with multiple future first-round picks there is no guarantee that they will turn things around and become contenders this season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
If that is something they are worried about, trading Davis is more feasible than it would seem. While they wouldn’t get back as big of a trade package as they surrendered for him, Davis would still demand a strong return of multiple draft picks and a good mix of players.
If James Harden landed two first-round picks, a player with the potential of Ben Simmons and two legitimate rotation pieces in Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, Davis should command at least that and likely a little more.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Trading Davis is a last resort for the Lakers, though, as moving him would essentially be a waiving the white flag moment for Los Angeles. It would be hard to envision them being contenders without Davis in the mix, but moving him would replenish the roster and there would be a lot of money to spend during free agency in 2023 to continue re-tooling things.
