Anthony Davis’ rollercoaster start to the 2023-24 season has already landed him in NBA trade rumors. The Los Angeles Lakers big man has averaged 22.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 53% shooting from the field and 30% shooting from three. He has posted a positive plus-minus in only five of his 13 contests and has cracked his field goal percentage for the season in seven outings.
Despite his offensive inconsistencies, The Brow has played all-world defense. Davis leads the NBA in total blocks with 43 rejections and averages a league-best 3.3 blocks per game. The Lakers sit at No. 6 in the Western Conference standings with an 8-6 record.
On FOX Sports’ Undisputed, NBA analyst Rachel Nichols argued that the Lakers should hold onto Davis no matter what.
“I would absolutely, positively, not trade AD,” Nichols said. “The reason is I know who Anthony Davis is. People who are looking for him to be one of the greats of all time … he is not that guy. He is great, he is an NBA champion, he is a terrific player … but he is not one of THE greats. He is one of the best No. 2’s out there. People who are expecting him to be someone he’s not are the ones who are disappointed.”
Nichols put Davis’ general role into perspective with her on-air comments. While she made it clear that Davis is one of the best second options in the league, she also made it clear that he is no LeBron James when it comes to Los Angeles’ offensive hierarchy.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Many fans still expect Davis to reproduce his 2020 bubble magic that helped the Lakers win their 17th championship. However, the 30-year-old has not shown any signs of hitting that kind of offensive gear since the 2019-20 season ended. Since Banner No. 17, Davis has shot 24% from beyond the arc across more than three seasons of action. He has only played 44 games a year in that span.
Lakers fans want to believe that Davis’ presence makes their team a “superteam,” but Nichols disagrees.
“The Lakers are not a superteam,” Nichols said. “They are a team with one of the best to ever do it and a guy who is an excellent compliment to him. If you try to go out and trade him at the deadline, you are not getting back someone who is more than just an excellent complement to LeBron James. You’re not getting Giannis. You’re not getting Jokic. You’re not getting one of THE greats.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Three days after Nichols’ comments, Davis cooked the Houston Rockets for 27 points and 10 boards on 11/15 shooting. The Lakers will return to action Nov. 21 when they host the Utah Jazz in an In-Season Tournament matchup.
