The Los Angeles Lakers did not cash in on any Lakers rumors during the NBA trade deadline but the team is definitely going to look to make some kind of trades during the offseason. The no. 1 player that is going to be shopped is Russell Westbrook, who has a $47.1 million player option for the 2022-23 season.
However, there are other potential possibilities for the Lakers as well. There has been reported tension between LeBron James and the Lakers. While Rich Paul denied the tension, LeBron’s comments to the media during the All-Star Break felt calculated. If LeBron rejects an extension this offseason then who knows what direction the two sides could go in.
Another direction that some fans want to see the team take is trading Anthony Davis. While there have been no substantiated reports of the Lakers shopping Davis, things move quickly in the NBA and there is a world in which the team is worried about his constant injury problems and wants to pivot to another star.
Nobody thought Kyrie Irving would want to be traded from LeBron James in Cleveland and that happened. Nothing is off the table.
The latest Lakers rumors tie Anthony Davis to the Chicago Bulls.
An anonymous NBA executive told Heavy that the Chicago Bulls could be a potential landing spot for the All-NBA big man. The NBA executive said the following about a potential Anthony Davis trade to the Chicago Bulls:
"“Chicago is the one place I can see AD saying, ‘OK, if you are going to trade me, send me home.’ He has always wanted to play for the Bulls. That is not a big secret. He wants to do something for his city. If you are Chicago, I do not see how you don’t make an offer, at least feel it out.”"
When theorizing about what a potential trade package could look like, the source claims that a deal could be around DeMar DeRozan and either Coby White or Patrick Williams. If White is the player that the Bulls decide to trade then a draft pick would have to be attached as well, claims the source.
While DeRozan has been fantastic for the Bulls this season, it is really hard to see the Lakers making a trade of this caliber, even if they are worried about Davis’s long-term health. The team probably is not winning a championship with LeBron, DeRozan and Westbrook. DeRozan is only going to get worse with age as well as he will be 33 in August.
If the Lakers would actually be interested in trading Anthony Davis they would probably try and spin him for a younger star that might not quite be on his level; someone like Karl-Anthony Towns. Would Minnesota take a KAT for AD flip? Maybe not. But the Lakers would be trading one elite big man for another elite big man (that is on a slightly lower level) who can also shoot and space the floor.
That is the kind of deal that the Lakers would make. Getting DeRozan, a role player and a pick in the 20s would be horrible for the Lakers, especially considering how much they traded for Davis.
Regardless, I would keep an eye out on the Lakers rumors around Anthony Davis as the Lakers continue to disappoint and he continues to miss games.