Anthony Davis Trade ‘buzz Is Already Starting After Lakers Lousy Start

The Lakers' trade talks are no longer limited to Russell Westbrook.

The Lakers' season was already looking bleak after a 2-8 start, prompting a trade involving big man Anthony Davis.

Much of Los Angeles' trade talks since the summer have focused on Westbrook. However, according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Davis could be the Lakers' plan B if the team continues to struggle.

"There's talk that AD might be available," Simmons said on his podcast Monday. “It's a plan B for trading Westbrook or whatever they can get for Westbrook, and if you want to give up future assets, maybe it doesn't even make sense because what do you get if you're a Laker?

“We have Davis here, who I don't think looks the same in years, certainly not far from the Davis bubble (in 2020). That was the last time we saw the level of Pelicans 2018 [New Orleans] Davis.

Davis continues to perform at a high level, averaging 22.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. However, the big man, who has been injury-prone throughout his career, is slower and less fluid. He also struggled to make his shots, especially from the outside, prompting former NBA player Channing Frye to attribute "92 percent" of the Lakers' struggles to Davis' recent foul play.

Simmons, along with NBA reporter Kevin O'Connor, who was a guest on his podcast, suggested that the Knicks would make the most sense as a potential trade target for Davis. They see Davis as an upgrade over Julius Randle, and the Knicks currently have the fourth-most likely draft pick in the league.

After this year's draft, Knicks president Leon Rose said the team now has a total of 22 picks — 11 in the first round and 11 in the second — over the next seven years. The idea was that the Knicks could give the Lakers draft capital and tickets to rebuild LeBron James while getting the star they associated with their young core.

Simmons' comments came Sunday night sandwiched between losses to the Cavaliers and Jazz. The 139-116 loss at Utah State was the third straight loss for the Lakers, who are without James because of a left foot problem.

Davis led Los Angeles with 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting, followed by Westbrook, who had 22 off the bench. The All-Star center was limited defensively after the early offense.

"Shh, 2-8 was a tough pill for me to swallow," Davis said after the game. “Of course it can change… We have to put it together. The attack found its rhythm. We seem to have lost all our defensive intensity. And it kills us.

Before the season started, James said the Lakers would focus on defense. It appears to be a step back as the 37-year-old struggled with a lack of shooting last month.

Davis shot 52.9 percent from deep and just 28.6 percent from 3-point range; for the third straight season, he shot under 30 percent from inside.

"The Lakers are really putting the antenna up there, trust me ... I think that's going to change in the near future," Rob Perez said Monday at his Load Mismanagement event, without naming names.

The Lakers are looking to rebound from last season, when they finished 11th in the Western Conference at 33-49 and missed the playoffs, while scoring the NBA's 3rd-most points per game (115 ,1).