Anthony Davis

[Vermont Green]

Davis, age 29, has averaged just over 60 games per season over 10 seasons.  The problem is that the last two seasons, he has only played 36 and 39 (so far) this season.  Injury concern would be the only reason I would not trade for Davis.  His contract is not outrageous for a player with his "when healthy" ability.  I don't see him as any kind of a locker room cancer or anything like that.  And he fills absolutely our biggest need, a skilled big who can score.

But the injury history is a concern.  As a fan, it is impossible to know what is going on.  My sense is that the risk is pretty high but the proposed trade is Horford plus entirely replaceable depth players and draft picks.  It is not the farm, but is is a lot of assets in any case.

The only scenario where this might be realistic would be if LeBron decided to retire and the Lakers went into full rebuild.  In that case, Horford's unique contract and young players and picks may be of interest to the Lakers.

Can a team still expect to get say 60 games and a playoff run out of Davis?  If you think you can, you do this trade.  If not, you don't.  It simply comes down to that.

[celticsclay]

I can’t really remember a guy being completely injury plagued for like 4-5 seasons that suddenly became healthy and reliable while also being a star. Am I forgetting anyone?

I think 4-5 would be hard to show.  I can't think of much precedent for it.

But, has Davis been "completely injury plagued" for 4 - 5 seasons?  It's really the last two that have been really bad.  2019 he was healthy but sat pending being traded, and in 2020 he played in 62 out of 71 games.

If we're talking bouncing back after two unhealthy seasons, there are a few examples.  Embiid, obviously.  Jrue Holiday hasn't been completely healthy, but he's been decently reliable after some injury plagued years.

I could be wrong but I thought Davis was injured his last year in New Orleans too, and then was eventually healthy and sat at that point. But it also could have been a phantom injury.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yes I would trade for him , it’s been on my mind for months figuring ,  he just might want to be traded away from a totally rebuilding team anyway.

I suspect several teams would offer more , he might move across the gym to Clippers to be with Paul or Leonard .   

Bulls will come courting . 

That sounds like a low ball deal to me.        A Danny offering ….

He seems to be nicked d up a bit lately, nothing too major ….which I suspect is more laziness and Lebron isms weighing on his health routine. Those old guys don’t want to do a lot team exercise .  I bet he would do better being around young gym rats , than old broken down players .

Pat Riley loves big centers and he d trade em Bum , Butler and lots of picks I would imagine .

It’s worth a try .

[angryguy77]

You don't want him unless he wants to be here. If he's had a change of heart, then yeah, you get him.

[ETNCeltics]

His apparent disdain for Boston makes the discussion moot.

Were that not the case, Davis is a great player, but I don't trust him. How can anyone? He sits out all season - again - only to come back when they've shelved Lebron and are already at the edge of elimination.

Plus he's 29, big men with health problems don't suddenly get healthy on the other side of 30, they get worse. He missed half of last season, half of this season. Feels a lot like the trade the Nets made to get James Harden. They gutted their depth to add a 3rd star, then found out that 3rd star didn't add so much.

IMO, trading for Anthony Davis is the kind of move you'd want to make if, for example, JB at the end of his current contract walked and we got zip in return. Right now, no way I would make a major disruption to this team's chemistry.

[wikkid1]

The question is would his unibrow approve of the trade?

[Birdman]

Hard pass..reason is health & other is he didn’t want to come here when Pelicans had him on the table

[Moranis]

I can’t really remember a guy being completely injury plagued for like 4-5 seasons that suddenly became healthy and reliable while also being a star. Am I forgetting anyone?

I think 4-5 would be hard to show.  I can't think of much precedent for it.

But, has Davis been "completely injury plagued" for 4 - 5 seasons?  It's really the last two that have been really bad.  2019 he was healthy but sat pending being traded, and in 2020 he played in 62 out of 71 games.

If we're talking bouncing back after two unhealthy seasons, there are a few examples.  Embiid, obviously.  Jrue Holiday hasn't been completely healthy, but he's been decently reliable after some injury plagued years.

I could be wrong but I thought Davis was injured his last year in New Orleans too, and then was eventually healthy and sat at that point. But it also could have been a phantom injury.

He was injured, but didn't miss all that many games (9 in a row in Jan/Feb).  After he came back from those 9 games he took some games off and was on a minutes restriction before he sat the last 7 games.  He had only missed 5 of the first 46 games before he sat those 9 though.  And I do think some of that was milking it because he didn't want to be in New Orleans. 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'm with Moranis on this one. If you can get him without giving up Brown or Tatum, you have to. He'd be a great fit with the Js. With Tatum's new playmaking ability, Davis would be a great fit. Tatum and Brown can still be the "alphas" and Davis can more naturally fit into a role after them.

I actually think the Lakers are just dumb enough to do something like this.

[pearljammer10]

Wouldn't touch AD with a 10 foot pole. No thanks.

[Big333223]

I'd want to sit down at a table with Ime, Marcus, and the J's and see what they think of Davis. If they like him and think the chemistry would be good, then you'd kind of have to do that deal. Absolutely devastating starting 5 there.

[gouki88]

The starting 5 would be absolutely insane, but I do echo the injury worries of others. That being said, not sure anyone can score on that team. Horford is a great defender, but AD is next level when he's fit.

Getting him fit is the trick.

[Celtics2021]

I wouldn’t do it.  AD is a guy entering an early decline.  The injuries are part of it, but when he’s in the court he isn’t the same player he was.  PER is a stat with problems, but it’s reasonably good at making a quick comparison of a player to other seasons of that same player.  And Davis has had his two worst seasons since his rookie year the last two years.  His 3-point shooting has fallen off a cliff, and he’s getting to the line far less than he used to.  Combine that with missing around half his games the last two years, and no thank you, not at the significant cost of assets to acquire him.

[JBcat]

Very very tempting. I do worry about his injury woes and starting to decline. He doesn’t feel like a Celtic, but oh boy if it worked out could be a dynasty. Would hate to lose both G Williams and Pritchard though as they have been both very key to our bench.

On a much smaller scale haha I think Wendall Carter Jr could be a nice Horford replacement. His style was compared to Horford coming into the league. A comparable 3 pt shooting % and an improving passer and defender. A better rebounder than Horford. Turns the ball over more than Al and Al makes more winning plays, but still only 22 believe it or not, and should keep improving.

[nickagneta]

For what you end up having to give up, you do that trade even if AD has to be put on a minutes restriction or giving a day off every back to back situation and other such things.

Why?

Because if you get a healthy and difference making AD from post All-Star Game through to the last game played, it's possible an AD/Tatum/Brown/Timelord/Smart core gets you a win on a bunch of those last games of the year.

Meaning you are giving up 3 picks in the very high 20's to 30. No biggie for a talent like Davis.