“Rumor Roundup: Lakers Primed to Release Patrick Beverley, Anthony Davis Draws Interest from Multiple Teams”
The LA Lakers are open to trade veteran point guard Patrick Beverley and shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV. However, they want to keep young prospects Max Christie and Austin Reaves.
In other news, multiple teams are interested in acquiring Lakers star forward Anthony Davis.
With that in mind, here are the latest LA Lakers rumors as of February 7, 2023.
LA Lakers ready to trade Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV; want to keep Max Christie and Austin Reaves
LA Lakers guard Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV
Following the news that all-star point guard Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported on the LA Lakers’ pursuit of Irving.
Buha noted that LA wasn’t willing to trade Max Christie or Austin Reaves for Irving. The Lakers see both players as important building blocks, and furthermore, there was no guarantee Irving would have retired in the long term.
“The Lakers were unwilling to include Austin Reaves and/or rookie Max Christie in the deal if Irving did not agree to the two-year contract extension, according to league sources,” Buha said.
“The Lakers view both players as important members of their young supporting cast, not just throw-ins. They only considered taking one of them if they had the assurance that Irving wouldn’t just be hired for the second half.”
However, Buha previously reported that the Lakers were willing to give up Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets:
“Beverley and Walker IV could also be included in an Irving package or separate deal to further improve rotation, league sources tell The Athletic.”
A deal between Irving and LA obviously didn’t materialize. However, it looks like the short saga may have shed more light on which Lakers players are more likely to be transferred before the deadline.
also read: LeBron James on LA Lakers failing to win Kyrie Irving: ‘Can’t say I’m not disappointed that I wasn’t able to land such talent’
Anthony Davis receives commercial interests from multiple teams
Anthony Davis, LA Lakers star forward
Anthony Davis was dominant when he played this season. However, he again struggled to stay on the court, appearing in just 30 of the Lakers’ 54 games.
With LA holding just a 25-29 record and ranked 13th in the Western Conference, several rival teams have reportedly begun inquiring about a Davis trade. However, according to NBA insider Sam Amico, the Lakers have shown no interest in moving Davis.
“The Lakers are quick to shut down talks like this,” Amico reported.
Several teams have reached out to the Lakers through Anthony Davis, per @AmicoHoops
“The Lakers are quick to shut down such talks, sources added.”
Several teams have reached out to the Lakers through Anthony Davis, per @AmicoHoops“The Lakers are quick to shut down such talks, sources added.”
Davis averages 27.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks per game on 57.5% shooting in 30 games.
LA Lakers are reviewing potential trades with five different teams
Toronto Raptors All-Star Point Guard Fred VanVleet
After Kyrie Irving failed to negotiate a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, the LA Lakers have reportedly turned their attention to five other teams.
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, LA is exploring potential deals with the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. Buha noted that Jazz and Raptors are the most likely commercial contenders for LA. However, the Hornets, Spurs and Bulls are still three teams to watch.
“The Lakers will remain active in the trade market, exploring both small and large deals. After Irving’s post-Dallas news, according to league sources, the two teams that have repeatedly come up as Plan B options for the Lakers are the Utah Jazz and the Toronto Raptors,” Buha reported.
“Both teams have been linked with the Lakers in recent weeks and have entry-level players who have been rumored to be available. However, the talks remain preliminary and nothing is imminent.
“According to these sources, the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls are three other teams to watch.”
He then explained that the Lakers must decide whether to give up their first-round picks for 2027 and 2029 in a potential deal:
“The apparent problem is that it’s unclear if there is another deal that the Lakers believe merits the inclusion of these two unprotected first-round picks.
“Less than two weeks ago, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said the Lakers would just wrap these draft picks in a ‘move that puts us frontrunners to take another championship here.’
“Do potential additions like Zach LaVine, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. or Malik Beasley move the needle enough to hit that threshold? The Lakers have already decided that Myles Turner and Indiana native Buddy Hield will not do this — at least since last October.”
It remains to be seen whether the Lakers will gain a foothold on a deal by deadline date. However, it seems that they are doing their due diligence to scrutinize the trading market thoroughly before making any big moves.
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