Bill Simmons asserts LA Lakers are facing consequences of acquiring Anthony Davis: “They mortgaged everything they had to trade for Anthony Davis”
The LA Lakers seem secure in their future with Anthony Davis at the helm, which is why they decided on trading for him in 2019. However, with their struggles, the Lakers are at a loss as to what to do next after getting rid of valuable pieces for a year of relevancy, which analyst Bill Simmons broke down.
Simmons, a famed sports blogger, broke down why the future of the Lakers is looking disappointing. The team has no ground-breaking assets left after using it to get star big man, AD. They are currently in a tough spot as they try their best to get back to relevancy with a below-average roster.
"They mortgaged everything they had to trade for Anthony Davis to win the title, and they won the title (in 2020)," Simmons said. "The trade accomplished what they wanted to, but they also gave away eight years of assets.
"When you trade eight years of assets for one guy, you can't be then surprised in 2023 that your team's not good anymore. This is the risk of trading eight years of draft picks and lottery picks and guys like Brandon Ingram. They traded all that stuff."
The Lakers (14-20) are currently in a disappointing season as they are 13th in the Western Conference. Additionally, Davis is expected to miss a month of action after suffering a broken foot. LeBron James is once again the lone star for Los Angeles as he tries his best to carry the team into relevancy.
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How far can the LA Lakers go without Anthony Davis?
The Lakers finally snapped their four-game losing streak with a 129-110 win at the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. Without Anthony Davis, the undermanned roster did all they could to get back to the winning column. Luckily for Los Angeles, they had James lead them to a victory with 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
While Davis was healthy, the Lakers managed to get some notable wins. Prior to his foot injury, the All-Star big averaged 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. AD also shot 59.4%, including 29% from the 3-point area. His stats up until this point have helped the team improve their record.
The Lakers are starting to experience a ton of hurdles again. The roster they have isn't strong enough to lead them to where they want to be. Los Angeles is trying hard to be a contender, but with the way the roster has been built, they are poised to be on the losing track this season and for the foreseeable future.
Simmons' assessment of the team's future isn't a knock on the organization. Rather, it's the reality that the Lakers have to face. They will undergo a good amount of losing seasons due to them sacrificing a ton of their assets in one winning season.
Also read: Dan Woike believes Anthony Davis' injury is blessing in disguise to LA Lakers: “The Davis injury could actually help the Lakers”