Deal or No Deal: Will Lakers trade Anthony Davis this offseason?
The NBA offseason is in full swing, and there are a handful of big names that could be on the move before the 2022-23 season begins.
On Monday’s “The Herd,” Joy Taylor shared what she thinks will happen with some of the biggest stars around the league and if they will stay put or find new homes during a little game of “Deal or No Deal.”
Let’s get to it.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Deal or No Deal: No Deal
Key Stats: Davis only played 40 games this past season due to MCL and ankle injuries. The 29-year-old averaged 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in those 40 games. The Lakers finished 11th in the West (33-49) and lost eight of their final 10 games en route to missing the postseason.
Taylor’s thoughts: “I don’t necessarily agree that they shouldn’t deal Anthony Davis, but they’re gonna stick with him. He’s missed more games than he’s played over the last two seasons since winning the title. Now, when they (Davis and LeBron James) are both healthy, they win a title, so they have the potential. But you gotta consider that he doesn’t play a lot anymore. He’s entering the third year of his five-year, $190 million contract. He’s signed through the 2024-25 season. You could get assets for him, but they’re not gonna move Anthony Davis. He’s not going anywhere. Sorry Lakers fans. It’s not happening.”
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Deal or No Deal: Deal
Key Stats: Randle averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game during the 2021-22 season. The Knicks finished 37-45 in the regular season, 11th in the East.
Taylor’s thoughts: “Things have gotten pretty toxic between Randle and the Knicks fan base. … They have one playoff appearance over the last nine seasons. He’s coming off his worst shooting season. He signed a four-year, $117 million extension with the Knicks last offseason. I do think that they’re gonna move him.”
Deal or No Deal: Deal
Key Stats: Herro averaged 20.7 points, five rebounds and four assists per game last season, helping lift the Heat to a first-place finish in the East with a 53-29 regular-season record.
Taylor’s thoughts: “I think he’s gonna be a package for a whale that Pat Riley is gonna try and bring in. [Riley] wants to complete the rebuild around Jimmy Butler, and a part of this I think will be dealing Tyler Herro in a package to get someone. He’s entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, so he’s eligible for a rookie extension this offseason. He did win Sixth Man of the Year. He had a great season. He does have some issues defensively, but he has definitely stepped up. … They were a 3-point shot … away from the Finals this year, so they do need an extra piece. It really felt like the offensive side of the ball was what they needed to improve on, so I do think they deal Tyler Herro.”
Russell Westbrook, Lakers
Deal or No Deal: Deal
Key Stats: Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game last season. He had the lowest player efficiency rating (15.0) of his career and third-highest turnover percentage (17.3). His win shares total (1.7) was also the lowest of his career, and the first time that number has dipped below two since his rookie season.
Taylor’s thoughts: “It’s gonna be difficult, but at some point — I have no faith that Russell Westbrook is going to adjust or change his game. … There was no accountability this year. … It wasn’t all his fault, but it’s never anyone’s fault entirely. … There were lots of things that played a role, and you still have to take accountability for your part in the situation and your play, and he didn’t do that. I do think it was very toxic. People got fired. There was a lot that happened. I do think that they are actively trying to deal him, and I think that they will get it done.”
Deal or No Deal: Deal
Key Stats: The 30-year-old averaged 15.6 points and a league-leading 14.7 rebounds per game last season.
Taylor’s thoughts: “The Jazz are looking for a fresh start. … He’s an elite defender. He does need to be surrounded by shooters. He would definitely be an asset to a championship team if he is dealt. He’s entering the second year of a five-year deal. [He is] the highest paid center in NBA history, but he [was] the leading rebounder and most efficient shooter in the NBA this season. … The Jazz are sort of in a reboot, at least with their coaching situation, so I do think he’s dealt.”
Donovan Mitchell, Jazz
Deal or No Deal: Deal
Key Stats: Mitchell averaged 25.9 points, the ninth most in the league, 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game last season. The Jazz finished fifth in the West (49-33) before losing in the first round of the playoffs.
Taylor’s thoughts: “I think Donovan wants a fresh start. He wasn’t really happy with how things ended with Quin Snyder. He obviously, as I mentioned, has a well-documented tension with Rudy Gobert. He would have an opportunity to add to a championship team immediately. He is a great player [in] the second year of a five-year deal. He led the Jazz to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons. [They] never made it past the second round, but he is a great and in the right situation could definitely win a championship, and I don’t know that that would happen with the Jazz.”
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Deal or No Deal: No Deal
Key Stats: Portland’s superstar averaged 24 points per game before an abdominal injury cut his season short; he only appeared in 29 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Taylor’s thoughts: “He is very loyal. He is looking to build around what they have there. They’re not gonna deal him. It’s Portland. They’re not gonna get free agents without Dame there, so I think they keep Dame, and he wants to stay there.”
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Deal or No Deal: No Deal
Key Stats: The 28-year-old averaged 23.2 points per game before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left wrist last season; Beal only appeared in 40 games, and the Wizards finished 12th in the West (35-47).
Taylor’s thoughts: “Bradley has spent his entire career there. They’re coming off their fourth straight season with a losing record though, and he’s eligible for a five-year, $240 million extension with the Wizards. … He is set to opt out of his player option and sign a long-term deal … [but] I think he ends up staying there.”
Kevin Durant, Nets
Deal or No Deal: No Deal
Key Stats: Durant averaged 29.9 points per game in 55 games during the 2021-22 season.
Taylor’s thoughts: “The only way that they would deal Kevin Durant is if he absolutely demanded it, and that would only happen if Kyrie Irving left, which I don’t think [Irving] is leaving.”
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