Deranged Anthony Davis trade is comedy gold for Lakers fans

SALT LAKE CITY UT- NOVEMBER 7: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz pressures Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of the game at the Vivint Arena November 7, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY UT- NOVEMBER 7: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz pressures Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of the game at the Vivint Arena November 7, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a painfully slow start this season that has not been received well by the fanbase. Los Angeles is 2-8 through 10 games and would be 1-9 if not for Dyson Daniels and a miracle Matt Ryan three.

Despite the slow start, trade rumblings for Russell Westbrook have actually slowed down. Westbrook has been the lone bright spot of the season since he was moved to the bench and if the team keeps losing games, they have no reason to trade future picks to move off Russ.

Instead, the trade rumblings have shifted to Anthony Davis, because of course they have. Bill Simmons said on his titular podcast that there is buzz that Davis could be traded by the Lakers. While it likely won’t happen, a high-profile name like Simmons saying that was enough to stir up the NBA media world.

This has made Davis the new fun trade machine player for the Lakers and some crazy trades have come to fruition as a result. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report took a stab at potential Anthony Davis trades in a recent article and crafted a particular deal with the New York Knicks that has caused quite the buzz.

The Los Angeles Lakers would absolutely say no to this Anthony Davis trade from the New York Knicks.

This is a classic trade where it managed to get both sides of the fanbase to roast it. Knicks fans see R.J. Barrett, five first-round picks and Anthony Davis’ injury history as enough reasons to roast this trade package and the overpay that the Knicks would be sending.

However, when you really break it down, there is nowhere near enough value here for the Lakers to say yet. Barrett is a good player but he is not even an all-star yet and the Lakers would be trading someone who still has the ceiling of a top-10 player for someone who might be an all-star in 2-3 years.

The other players in the deal add depth but don’t really move the needle. Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes all have less value now than Lonzo Ball did when he was the second player in the initial Anthony Davis trade, so think again.

And while Lakers fans may jump at the idea of getting five first-round picks, the picks actually are not even good. It would be a Knicks’ 2023 pick, three protected picks from the Wizards, Mavericks, and Pistons, and a 2025 Milwaukee Bucks pick.

Chances are all those picks end up being in the 20s. So in this trade, the Lakers downgrade their second star, get a bunch of fodder to go with it and get five picks that won’t really do much in the grand scheme of things.

Los Angeles has no reason to trade Anthony Davis right now and if they did, they would have to get a star or some overwhelming package in return. This trade has neither of those things, regardless of how much Knicks fans might say it does.