Lakers trade Anthony Davis as LeBron James leaves: Hawks star replaces AD

Would L.A. really move on from the future Hall of Famer?

Since winning the 2020 NBA title, the Los Angeles Lakers have gone through a rotating cast of coaches and personnel surrounding All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The team has been met with erratic success, having gone as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and fallen as low as the West’s No. 11 seed in 2021.

This season, L.A. split the difference, finishing with a 47-35 record and getting booted from the playoffs in a five-game first round loss to the Denver Nuggets. Now, James has an opportunity to move on from the team for what’s likely the final major contract of his career, should he opt out of his $51.4 million player option for 2024-25.

Should he do so, Connor Thoms of Bleacher Report for one is convinced that the team needs to consider moving on from Davis, too.

“Let’s just say we get into a scenario where LeBron James leaves for some reason,” Thoms said (h/t to Jonathan Adams of Heavy.com for the transcription). “LeBron James leaves the Lakers, say he goes to play with Bronny, and all the sudden the Lakers are going into a rebuild. Let’s take a look at Anthony Davis.

“I just want to take a look at what a trade might look like for Anthony Davis. It would have to include, I would imagine Dejounte Murray to give them someone they could probably flip. Or you would throw in Clint Capela here to make the money work rather. Or maybe [the Hawks] even keep Dejounte Murray and you just throw in Bogdan Bogdanović instead.”

A Murray deal from the Hawks, who possess the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, could be a great chance for the Lakers to obtain major draft equity, to boot. Murray could also be moved for multiple first round draft selections, too. Bogdanović’s return haul would not be quite as comprehensive for Los Angeles.