The Los Angeles Lakers’ catastrophic 2021-22 NBA campaign will have major ramifications for the franchise going forward.
Team star LeBron James already appears to be plotting his post-Lakers future. Frank Vogel is a goner. And owner Jeanie Buss seems a bit flummoxed on how to proceed from here.
One other possible bit of fallout from LA’s struggles this year may be them deciding to trade Anthony Davis.
Rumors have persisted for months about Davis possibly getting shipped off to the Chicago Bulls.
This week, a new potential frontrunner for a possible trade emerged: the New York Knicks.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons explained why the Knicks were a name to watch in these sweepstakes.
“You would need like these two big chess pieces back for AD that LeBron could win with immediately,” he said.
“I think the Knicks would overpay for him, I think the Knicks are ready to dive in this summer, that’s my take.”
The idea of Davis getting dealt has definitely been picking up steam in recent days. Magic Johnson has also suggested that this is a legitimate path for LA.
“AD, you gotta change, whatever it is, you gotta stay healthy,” said Johnson.
“Or, the Lakers gotta say ‘man, after next season if you don’t stay healthy,’ they gotta look at you and say ‘you should be somewhere else.’ Because they need you on the court, not in your clothes sitting on the bench.”
It’s easy to see why frustration around Davis is building. He has missed 39 games this year alone with injuries – including 18 in a row during a run that basically derailed the Lakers’ season.
Last year, Davis sat out 36 of LA’s 72 games.
Clearly this is an untenable situation.
After Davis’ massive body transformation over the summer, many hoped that he would finally be able to string together a relatively healthy campaign a la the Lakers’ championship-winning year.
But obviously that hasn’t happened.
McKayla Maroney’s still got it.https://t.co/9SZ3MQm9Xu
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 5, 2022
Will the Lakers end up moving Davis? It’s impossible to say for certain. But where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The fact that this is suddenly being discussed so much is telling.
Watch this space. Things promise to get interesting over the summer.
Related: LeBron James And Magic Johnson’s Beef Over Lakers Intensifies
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
