s star s spent 5 and a half seasons with the s, and it seems he may need a reunion. Brian Windhorst not too long ago appeared on ESPN LA’s >, the place co-host Scott Kaplan instructed him he’d overheard reporters within the media room at a Lakers sport speaking about Davis wanting to return again to Los Angeles.
“They don’t notice I’m listening and I’m listening to what they’re saying,” Kaplan mentioned. “[One of them said], ‘I hear that Anthony Davis needs to return to the Lakers.’… I believe they’re credentialized. I believe they know what they’re speaking about. They assume I do not know. However Windy, may Anthony Davis… We all the time discuss one other huge man for the Lakers.
“A, have you ever heard it?” Kaplan continued. “And B, is there a world the place that might occur?”
Windhorst rightly identified that Kaplan was speaking about gossip within the press room. As for whether or not Davis and the Lakers may reunite, the 48-year-old doesn’t see it taking place.
“Most unlikely,” Windhorst mentioned. “Anthony Davis is without doubt one of the greater query marks within the league this 12 months. There’s like three guys we’re watching, type of star-level gamers about will they get traded. One is Anthony Davis, one is Kyrie Irving, Domantas Sabonis is on there. All of them are in the identical boat.
“All of them have choices of their contract for subsequent season,” Windhorst continued. “… The Wizards principally mentioned, ‘We wish to see Anthony Davis play 20 to 30 video games, see how he matches with our group, after which we’re going to revisit about whether or not we wish to give him a contract extension.’ Clearly, if they offer him a contract extension, he agrees to it, he’s not being traded.
“If he doesn’t get a contract extension, then I believe you’re going to see his identify on the market on the commerce market,” Windhorst added. “However right here’s the factor. The Lakers simply don’t have a lot excessive worth issues, overlook about Anthony, only for any for any star participant. They only don’t have a lot to commerce. They’ve traded all of their picks for essentially the most half.”
Even when we ignore the shortage of property side for a bit, Davis is making $58.4 million in 2026-27. The Lakers received’t be buying and selling c, s, or r to the Wizards for him, which makes matching salaries a really tough process. They solely have three different gamers making over $10 million in 2026-27: s, i, and t. Their mixed wage is $39.3 million.
The Lakers must hand over most of their high quality function gamers to get to $58 million. Even when they determine to try this, the Wizards would then must see sufficient worth in these gamers to ship Davis to Los Angeles.
The Lakers additionally gave up two first-round picks and two first-round decide swaps to get Kessler from the z in the summertime, so a 2032 first-round decide swap is the one invaluable draft asset they will embody in a bundle. So, you wrestle to see a commerce right here.
One other route you’d consider could be Davis declining his $62.8 million participant possibility for 2027-28 and becoming a member of the Lakers as a free agent. The problem there could be that he’d must take an enormous pay lower, and t. You simply don’t see an avenue.
Now, would Davis be a great match with the Lakers? Completely. The ten-time All-Star all the time spoke concerning the r throughout his time there in order that he may play energy ahead. Effectively, Kessler is there now, so Davis, an NBA champion with the Lakers in 2020, received’t must play middle. The 33-year-old would additionally tackle a few of their defensive woes.
Davis, whom the Lakers traded to the s for Doncic in February 2025, is averaging 23.4 factors, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per sport for the Wizards in 2026-27. He’s nonetheless taking part in at a excessive stage, however accidents stay a priority. That’s simply another excuse why the Lakers in all probability shouldn’t be inquisitive about a reunion.