Lakers can undo massive part of the Anthony Davis trade with a major offseason move

The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the entire league last season when they traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. Since then, Doncic has found his footing with the Lakers, while the Mavs traded Davis away at this past trade deadline to the Wizards. 

Since Los Angeles traded Davis away though, they have had a huge hole in it’s frontcourt. It has been their main flaw all season. They have tried to fill that need, but to no avail. 

From the failed Mark Williams trade to the inconsistencies of DeAndre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes this season, the Lakers do not have a short or long-term solution at the five spot. This could lead them to exploring a crazy offseason scenario.

What if the Lakers undid the massive Davis trade by re-acquiring him from the Wizards?

Washington has signaled that next season will be the year they start competing again, as they acquired Davis and Trae Young to supplement it’s young core. Both have yet to take the court together for the Wizards though, as they were both battling injuries at the time of the transactions.

For Davis, he has prioritized competing for championships and receiving a contract extension from his new team. It remains unclear whether or not he will sign one with Washington this summer and while the team has improved, the Wizards are unlikely to compete for a championship next season in a loaded Eastern Conference.

That could open up the door for the Lakers to re-acquire him. It also won’t take the gargantuan package they gave up for Davis in 2019 when they acquired him from the Pelicans. Armed with three tradeable first-round picks and loads of cap space, LA could easily absorb Davis into their cap sheet.

Bringing in Davis to pair with Doncic and Austin Reaves would the the Lakers a potent offense, a lob threat for Doncic, and the rim protection they have sorely lacked on defense.

The Wizards likely won’t be keen to part ways with Davis, given that they just acquired him, but the possibility becomes even more realistic if they can’t ink him to an extension this summer. If that happens, expect the Davis-LA reunion rumors to get even louder. We have seen this franchise surprise the league before, so nothing seems to be out of the realm of possibility for them when it comes to free agency or the trade market.