Colin Cowherd asserts on trading Anthony Davis comparing LeBron James to Magic Johnson: “Tear it down to the studs…Magic’s been always LeBron's closest comp”
LeBron James and the LA Lakers are looking for answers. If they aren't careful, it could be too late. After Wednesday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers now find themselves 0-4 on the season.
It's clear that changes are going to be required. Although James continues to produce at a high level, there's only so much he can do. The supporting staff has continued to disappoint, as the Lakers have struggled with their outside shooting.
With a roster thin on potential trade assets, many are wondering what route the Lakers' front office could go in. Sports analyst Collin Cowherd tackled the issue on the "Herd with Colin Cowherd." He said that while Russell Westbrook is the obvious trade piece, Anthony Davis should be, too.
"To get this roster right, you've got to make big trades," Cowherd said. "This is not a tweak. This is a full demo. This is not a little paint in the bathroom. It's like, tear it down to the studs. There's two players to trade. One of them, Russell Westbrook, is obvious. The other, Anthony Davis, is, too, but Lakers fans don't want to admit it. Move him. "
Cowherd said LeBron James isn't a stranger to getting players to work on the fly.
"LeBron's one of the smartest players ever. He can work with new stuff. But he can't work with people that aren't good and can't shoot. You could blow this up before the trade deadline and LeBron in 15 games would figure out a way to make it work.
"He's done that his entire career. It's Magic Johhnson. Everybody that played with Magic was better ... and Magic has always been LeBron's closest comp."
"This is not a tweak. This is not a little paint in the bathroom. Tear it down to the studs."
@ColinCowherd on the state of the winless Lakers https://t.co/5kV9fWHkt3
LeBron James can use two Indiana players to take Lakers to playoffs
With the LA Lakers getting off to a disappointing start, it's clear that this team doesn't have what it takes to compete for the playoffs. This could result in some difficult decisions on the horizon.
Superstar big man Anthony Davis has continued to produce at an impressive level early on. He's averaging 24.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Despite his injury concerns over the years, Davis would still bring back an impressive haul for the Lakers.
That would go a long way towards building some much-needed depth. Another route that the Lakers could go in is shipping Russell Westbrook to a rival organization. Westbrook has often been connected to the Indiana Pacers, after reports that the teams were discussing a deal.
That deal involved Pacers veterans Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. Both would give the Lakers a serious jolt of talent. Hield would give the team an immediate outside shooting presence. On the other hand, Turner has been one of the league's most underrated defensive big men.
Does a Pacers-Lakers trade feel imminent? LA 0-4 now and Hield and are Turner healthy. Indy would love to get something for Turner and you can get by with Goga Bitadze in rotation.
The young Pacers get to play more and IND gets more assets. What am I missing?
Time will tell what direction the front office decides to go in. For now, it's clear that the Lakers need to do something. Although most signs point towards a Russell Westbrook trade, it could be time for bigger moves to be made.