Lakers star Anthony Davis reveals he hasn't shot a basketball since April 5th | NBA | UNDISPUTED

sonnyhill · Post #1 » by **sonnyhill** » Mon Jun 13, 2022 10:23 pm

While it is a given that the board wants to see the Lakers jettison Westbrook to the hinterlands and are now even advocating for the front office to trade away LeBron as a step towards rebuilding this flawed roster, why isn't AD experiencing the same scrutiny that Westbrook and LeBron are now facing?

AD "bragging" that he has not touched a basketball since April and not evolving his off-season conditioning and skills' development is disturbing! The Lakers traded players and mortgaged its future so that AD could be on the Laker roster, and the man does not reciprocate with the off-season work required to be a great NBA player!!!

Why are we not including trading AD as part of the roster rebuilding narrative?

Lakers star Anthony Davis reveals he hasn't shot a basketball since April 5th | NBA | UNDISPUTED

Watch on YouTube

Lakers' Anthony Davis makes stunning admission about offseason
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/lakers-anthony-davis-stunning-admission

danfantastk32 · Post #2 » by **danfantastk32** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 2:38 am

In order, I'd want to get rid of Westbrook first (he can just get paid and sit home, as far as I'm concerned). Then it would be AD. It's been the injuries. This news is bad, and shows lack of commitment / love for the game. But I'd still have traded him before Lebron. I think we can get more for AD, tbh (well....before this crap at least). Then lastly I'd trade Lebron.

Lebron has showed up. He's messed with things in a horrible way, but it was all in the desire for titles (which 1 was delivered...let's give him that). He's showed up....he played most games. He's still playing at a really high level.

But at this point, the whole house of cards is crumbling. AD doesn't have it. Never will. Lebron is a year or two from sinking down into "good player" category, and will never get back. Westbrook just blows. So we need to trade what we can. It really comes down to a full rebuild. I think some people did want to keep AD, and see if he could stay healthy, but it's hard to ignore his heart isn't in it. Of course every other team saw the video too. So now a difficult trade just got worse.

My guess is we end up with all 3 again. It'll be incredibly hard to move any of them, and they are doing us no favors. Lebron is the most movable. But I doubt we get much. And he's the only one delivering. It a big mess. This squad is incredibly hard to root for.

sonnyhill · Post #3 » by **sonnyhill** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 3:41 am

danfantastk32 wrote:In order, I'd want to get rid of Westbrook first (he can just get paid and sit home, as far as I'm concerned). Then it would be AD. It's been the injuries. This news is bad, and shows lack of commitment / love for the game. But I'd still have traded him before Lebron. I think we can get more for AD, tbh (well....before this crap at least). Then lastly I'd trade Lebron.

Lebron has showed up. He's messed with things in a horrible way, but it was all in the desire for titles (which 1 was delivered...let's give him that). He's showed up....he played most games. He's still playing at a really high level.

But at this point, the whole house of cards is crumbling. AD doesn't have it. Never will. Lebron is a year or two from sinking down into "good player" category, and will never get back. Westbrook just blows. So we need to trade what we can. It really comes down to a full rebuild. I think some people did want to keep AD, and see if he could stay healthy, but it's hard to ignore his heart isn't in it. Of course every other team saw the video too. So now a difficult trade just got worse.

My guess is we end up with all 3 again. It'll be incredibly hard to move any of them, and they are doing us no favors. Lebron is the most movable. But I doubt we get much. And he's the only one delivering. It a big mess. This squad is incredibly hard to root for.

Great analysis. I cannot disagree with you on anything in your above post.

AD whining about not wanting to play center and now exposing his off-season "non" workout habits...sigh...

TylersLakers · Post #4 » by **TylersLakers** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 10:17 pm

For a large portion of NBA players, this is totally acceptable.

But for AD, who's just come off two straight years of absolutely putrid shooting (and good lord, don't watch the full Nuke Squad video on YouTube - He wins the horse competition, but not by much - many of his shots are clanking all over the place), he needs to adjust his training to at least include shooting drills earlier. What his routine has been the past couple years.. clearly hasn't worked. It's time to make some changes.

The only exception in my opinion is his health. If he's been injured to the point where he hasn't been able to step on the court and shoot - fine.

I love AD, watching him when he's rolling is one of the greatest basketball pleasures. But man - I'm starting to question ever since he won the Championship how much he loves the game and if the fire still burns as it once did. Only he knows the answer to that - I'm not going to claim like I know. But it's a valid question.

sonnyhill · Post #5 » by **sonnyhill** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 11:35 pm

AD came into the league with a lot more ability, fanfare, and upside than the Greek Freak; yet, it sure looks like Giannis Antetokounmpo has been relentless in making off-season improvements to his game, while AD looks both stagnant as well as regressing.

The most frustrating thing about AD is that he has high-level skills and ability, but also suffers from a "low motor."

Landsberger · Post #6 » by **Landsberger** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:29 am

Back in the euphoria of the Trade for Davis thread I expressed concerns about his ability to lead and fire for the game. I was hoping we went another way and divided up the youngin's for more than just one guy.

stan francisco · Post #7 » by **stan francisco** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 1:23 pm

We need players who are durable enough to play (because they work their asses off in the gym, AD) for a full season. Like LeBron does. I’d trade him to Chicago, and try to get Myles Turner and filler in return.

sonnyhill · Post #8 » by **sonnyhill** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:46 pm

stan francisco wrote:We need players who are durable enough to play (because they work their asses off in the gym, AD) for a full season. Like LeBron does. I’d trade him to Chicago, and try to get Myles Turner and filler in return.

Myles Turner is on the Pacer roster; so, you are proposing a 3-team trade, correct?

How would a deal like this work?

Also, because AD is a superior talent (top 75 all-time player), could the Lakers could reasonably expect Turner, a 1st round draft pick, and a role player in return for trading AD away?

DNP-Old · Post #9 » by **DNP-Old** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:48 pm

stan francisco wrote:We need players who are durable enough to play (because they work their asses off in the gym, AD) for a full season. Like LeBron does. I’d trade him to Chicago, and try to get Myles Turner and filler in return.

In AD's 10yrs in the NBA he has averaged 60 games a year. In Turner's 7yrs in the NBA he has averaged 63 games a year. I like Turner but he is not durable and the "filler" better be great to make up for the talent differential between the two.

Post #10 » by **Kilroy** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:15 pm

Myles Turner isn't the answer to all our problems... Especially in a deal for AD... He's biggest upside would be to play next to AD and help with the heavy lifting... But he'll never accept that role at this point.

sonnyhill · Post #11 » by **sonnyhill** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 10:54 pm

Kilroy wrote:Myles Turner isn't the answer to all our problems... Especially in a deal for AD... He's biggest upside would be to play next to AD and help with the heavy lifting... But he'll never accept that role at this point.

Exactly!

Myles Turner, a good player, is not at top 75 All-NBA player.

Also, a straight-up trade AD for Turner makes no sense, whatsoever.

Shouldn't any trade involving AD result of return assets (draft picks, expiring contracts, veterans, etc.) and not just Myles Turner?

Landsberger · Post #12 » by **Landsberger** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:07 am

sonnyhill wrote:
Kilroy wrote:Myles Turner isn't the answer to all our problems... Especially in a deal for AD... He's biggest upside would be to play next to AD and help with the heavy lifting... But he'll never accept that role at this point.

Exactly!

Myles Turner, a good player, is not at top 75 All-NBA player.

Also, a straight-up trade AD for Turner makes no sense, whatsoever.

Shouldn't any trade involving AD result of return assets (draft picks, expiring contracts, veterans, etc.) and not just Myles Turner?

So... I don't follow College Ball much. That game has gotten unwatchable with the 1 and done kids all trying to be NBA lottery picks. That said, the game is going to go through a soft period IMHO. Once Bron is gone there is no one of his caliber in the game. The NBA has had an all time great playing since the early 60's. Not sure we have one that stands the test of time without ESPN/Fake Advanced stats and shoe hype. I'm not seeing that kid coming up either. Don't get me wrong, a lot of good players in the game but no transcendent ones like Bron, Kobe, Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kareem, Wilt. That string goes from 2020 to the early 60's. Curry, Durant and the Freak are good but not at that level and I'm not seeing anyone rising to it. Zion isn't it.... not sure about Donic but don't think so....

Trading Davis for picks may help but the Lakers have been so fortunate to have one of those players on their team for almost all of that timeline. Not seeing it for a while.

As to Davis specifically, he's not who you build around IMHO. He's talented but seems to lack the "it" that is necessary to lead. That's an innate thing and not something you learn over time. Add the injuries to the mix and I'm not seeing a centerpiece to build around. Best we could do is trade him for a proven youngster and a few picks it seems.

Our success in the past was predicated on TEAMS... meaning that we had cores that stayed together under a system for a long time. I think that transcends stats and individuals. Our approach now seems to be about smashing together the individuals with the stats over crafting a team under the direction of someone who's done it before. It's like we're picking for the All Star game (which has made that game more unwatchable than it's ever been btw....).

Davis isn't going anywhere until Bron's gone. I just don't see it even though it's the fastest way to another chip unfortunately.

stan francisco · Post #13 » by **stan francisco** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 12:21 pm

Filler better be good, yes. Does he practice in the off-season? AD doesn’t.

I’m the first one to support AD. Always claimed he was born to be a Laker.

Street clothes, and now no practice? Patience is running thin here. He’d better get on it.

sonnyhill · Post #14 » by **sonnyhill** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 12:53 pm

stan francisco wrote:Filler better be good, yes. Does he practice in the off-season? AD doesn’t.

I’m the first one to support AD. Always claimed he was born to be a Laker.

Street clothes, and now no practice? Patience is running thin here. He’d better get on it.

And, what makes this narrative even more frustrating is how freaking talented AD is!!!

Yet, he cannot stay healthy, lacks the off-season discipline to get into premier shape coming into training camp, and disappears on the court when he is needed most.

Laker greats (Mikan, Baylor, West, Chamberlin, Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Shaq, Kobe, and LeBron) are not born to be a Laker, but worked their @sses off to lead their teams. Take LeBron, as an example; every season, we see modifications and improvements in his game (he, obviously, works hard at his craft every off-season). Look at how Magic worked at his outside 3-pt shot as he advanced in age. Even the Laker DNA is about improvement. Del Harris was a good coach but was replaced by Phil Jackson, a great coach, because the Laker organization was (at one time) dedicated towards competing for-and-winning championships.

AD is so much more skilled than the Greek Freak; yet, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the one, not AD, who works hard during the off-season to improve his game.

A trade involving AD should bring back to the Lakers much more than filler; it should include both multiple 1st round draft picks, talented veterans (not just Myles Turner), and expiring contracts.

danfantastk32 · Post #15 » by **danfantastk32** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 3:01 pm

sonnyhill wrote:A trade involving AD should bring back to the Lakers much more than filler; it should include both multiple 1st round draft picks, talented veterans (not just Myles Turner), and expiring contracts.

Sorry, but that was 2 years ago. Davis is now 29. Not young. The injury list is as long as your arm, with lot's of knee and leg stuff in there. Now it's out there his heart isn't in the game??

Are you trading "multiple 1st round picks, talented veterans, and expiring contracts" for Davis?

sonnyhill · Post #16 » by **sonnyhill** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 4:04 pm

danfantastk32 wrote:
sonnyhill wrote:A trade involving AD should bring back to the Lakers much more than filler; it should include both multiple 1st round draft picks, talented veterans (not just Myles Turner), and expiring contracts.

Sorry, but that was 2 years ago. Davis is now 29. Not young. The injury list is as long as your arm, with lot's of knee and leg stuff in there. Now it's out there his heart isn't in the game??

Are you trading "multiple 1st round picks, talented veterans, and expiring contracts" for Davis?

You highlight how difficult it may be to get good value back for AD. However, could you also not see how a team like Brooklyn would be tempted to make a trade with the Lakers for AD where the Lakers would receive back Ben Simmons and the 2022 unprotected 1st-round draft pick which was traded to the Nets by the Sixers? How about trading AD to the Nets for Simmons and Seth Curry?

Brooklyn is desperate after getting swept in the first round of the playoffs.

Post #17 » by **Danny Darko** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 4:38 pm

Pretty sure after a few months of healthy basketball AD would have tons of market value again. Then we would trade him and he would never have another injury again

Post #18 » by **Kilroy** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:24 pm

Danny Darko wrote:Pretty sure after a few months of healthy basketball AD would have tons of market value again. Then we would trade him and he would never have another injury again

I want to think that too... But I think at this point AD may have a stain on him... He hasn't been consistently dominant for a couple years now... I personally, believe he still has it in him, but I think the question mark is there in a lot of team's minds.

Is he still a Max player? Of course... Based on all the weak ass max players out there, sure he is... But the number of teams willing to give him that max, I think has dropped significantly from 'all of them' a few years ago...

All of which said, he's good enough, that trading him and getting adequate return is probably a challenge... My list right now, of all the potentially available bigs, begins and ends with Ayton... No one else is a good marginally realistic target that's even worth discussing... Obviously Ayton would be an extreme long shot, but there's a hint of possibility there.

Now if we could get a stud big without trading AD, then we could start talking about moving AD for some non-big pieces, and the market grows...

AD has never really looked completely comfortable when LeBron is on the floor with him.

danfantastk32 · Post #19 » by **danfantastk32** » Sat Jun 18, 2022 5:25 am

sonnyhill wrote:How about trading AD to the Nets for Simmons and Seth Curry?

A marginal player who's biggest claim to fame is being 'the other curry', and a mental case who is pretty crap offensively (if he ever steps foot on the floor again) is hardly the "multiple 1st round picks, talented veterans, and expiring contracts" I was hearing about.

Frankly, I think we can prob do better than Simmons. AD's stock is pretty low, but it ain't Simmons - low.

sonnyhill · Post #20 » by **sonnyhill** » Sat Jun 18, 2022 12:40 pm

danfantastk32 wrote:
sonnyhill wrote:How about trading AD to the Nets for Simmons and Seth Curry?

A marginal player who's biggest claim to fame is being 'the other curry', and a mental case who is pretty crap offensively (if he ever steps foot on the floor again) is hardly the "multiple 1st round picks, talented veterans, and expiring contracts" I was hearing about.

Frankly, I think we can prob do better than Simmons. AD's stock is pretty low, but it ain't Simmons - low.

Makes sense; both AD and Simmons could never be accused of being "high motor" guys.

How about a trade with Milwaukee where the Lakers ship out AD in return for Middleton and a two 1st round draft picks?