The Los Angeles Lakers gave away multiple young players to land Anthony Davis. That gamble paid off by winning the NBA Championship in the very first season he played at Southern California.
But Davis has barely been on the floor since the championship run in the bubble. While his talent and impact are undeniable, there have always been big concerns about his health and durability.
Some believe that the Lakers should explore the trade market for Davis this summer. That could be the only way to solve their roster issues, as no one’s going to want any part of Russell Westbrook’s contract. Here, we talk about 3 potential trade packages for him.
NBA Rumors: 3 Potential Landing Spots For Anthony Davis
3. Charlotte Hornets
Trade Package:Miles Bridges (sign-and-trade), Kai Jones, James Bouknight, Jalen McDaniels, 2 first-round picks.
Miles Bridges is reportedly set to ask for a max deal this offseason and Michael Jordan may not be willing to pay that much, especially if moving him can help him land the rim protector they’ve craved for years.
LaMelo Ball is a superstar in the making and the Charlotte Hornets need to put another top-notch player by his side before he’s tempted to force his way out of the small-market team. And this is the biggest chance they’ll have to do so.
The Lakers would get an energetic, dynamic scorer who can play defense in Bridges, plus two first-rounders, a solid role player in Jalen McDaniels, and two youngsters with plenty of upside in Jones and Bouknight. The Hornets would get their big man.
2. New York Knicks
Trade Package: Mitchell Robinson (sign-and-trade), Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley, 2 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks.
The New York Knicks have pursued a franchise player since Carmelo Anthony left the premises, yet they always strike out on the big names in the market. That could finally change if they trade for Anthony Davis.
The Lakers would get Julius Randle back while also adding a defensive-minded big in Mitchell Robinson, and an above-average scorer/playmaker to run their second unit in Immanuel Quickley, plus multiple draft assets to flip for other stars.
Leon Rose would land a superstar to pair with R.J. Barrett for years to come and put together another playoff run once and for all. But the Knicks being the Knicks, chances are that Davis could turn his ACL in his very first game at Madison Square Garden.
1. Chicago Bulls
Trade Package: Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Troy Brown Jr., 2 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks.
Anthony Davis has talked about eventually joining his hometown team and playing for the Chicago Bulls. Well, there’s no better time to make that move than right now, as he’s exactly what they need.
Nikola Vucevic was only good for a couple of months and helped them land DeMar DeRozan. He’s not a good fit for that roster as they need someone who can actually defend. Davis would join DeRozan and Zach LaVine and make the Bulls contenders for years.
While would the Lakers make this deal? Well, they’d get a big man who can space the floor, a young scorer to serve as their backup PG, a sharpshooter, and multiple picks to replenish their draft arsenal.
