NBA Trades: 3 Lakers trade targets after Anthony Davis’ injury
By Dalton Sell
Injuries have been an unfortunate storyline for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, and the latest news revolves around big man Anthony Davis.
Davis suffered a scary knee injury in the team’s recent loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves after Jaden McDaniels fell into his leg. An MRI revealed that Davis avoided anything severe and has a sprained MCL, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
He will miss the next four weeks at the bare minimum, which leaves a massive hole in the lineup for the Lakers on both ends of the floor, as Davis is not exactly an easy player to replace.
The Lakers were already struggling with Davis in the fold, but things just got incredibly more challenging. They could surely use some outside help to try and navigate this rough patch ahead. With that being said, let us take a look at three trade targets that LA should target to stay afloat with Davis out.
NBA Trades: Los Angeles Lakers trade targets – Mike Muscala
If the name Mike Muscala sounds familiar for Lakers fans, it is because he briefly played for the franchise. Muscala had a quick cup of coffee in Los Angeles during the 2018-19 season as he appeared in 17 games with the Lakers. With the team needing depth in the frontcourt, he could be a reasonable target for them to pursue on the trade market.
Muscala has provided a quality veteran presence for the OKC Thunder over the past three seasons by bringing leadership and solid production. In addition to simply being a 6-foot-10, 240-lb body to utilize while Davis is absent, Muscala would bring some floor spacing to Los Angeles.
The big man has shot 38.4 percent from three-point range on 3.9 attempts per game since joining OKC. The Lakers could always look to bolster their shooting, and adding Muscala would be killing two birds with one stone by bringing shooting and added size into the mix.
The veteran is on the books for $3.5 million this season, making him an affordable trade target for a team like the Lakers, who do not have a ton of financial flexibility. The Thunder have shown that they are open for business in trades with virtually anyone on their roster if they can get some form of draft capital in return.
The Lakers could dangle a second-round pick and salary filler to pry the veteran away from the youth-driven Thunder. It would be a low-risk, high-reward move to give them a big boost at the center position.