Going into this season, AD had played in something like 63% of possible games. That actually understates the negative impact since losing a star is worse than losing an average player for the same amount of time. On top of that, you need to consider that AD sucks up a high percentage of your cap AND the acquisition cost. Take what you consider his value, discount it by half, and you could still be over-paying. As for Toronto - good for them. Enter enough 3-legged horses in the Kentucky Derby and eventually one of them might finish in the money. Still a foolish risk.
Last season? 36 games. 2nd lowest scoring average of his career and his worst rebounding average. His last 3 seasons have been his lowest rebounding numbers since his rookie year. From 13-14 to 18-19 he was a double digit rebounder. Since then, single digits. What does that say about his decreasing athletic ability? Last season was also his 2nd worst PER - but I know many don't care about that.
No one is saying he isn't injury prone. But he just finished a finals series in Oct 2020 (1.5 yrs ago) averaging 25/11 on 57/42/94 shooting splits. The obvious injury risk is why you don't give up Dame or your entire war chest of assets. But if he were completely healthy, he would be impossible to attain. And this decline you hint at is overstated. The guy is still 28.
And like I said, that’s not the point. Also it doesn’t matter how much better Ad is if he isn’t on the court.
Absolutely crazy how this place screams daily about wanting a championship rather than just getting to the playoffs. They literally ran the coach off and made a giant bustle about never making it past the WCF's. Now the conversation comes up about adding a future hall of fame player in his prime and they say "Oh no. He might get injured and we would rather have draft picks because he only has won one championship". Wow? It would cost the team Eric Bledsoe and a couple picks that are much more likely to be washed out in two years than be All-Stars.
he's the kinda big-swing risky acquisitions we haven't made since the days of Trader Bob. I don't think there's an appetite for it among our ownership/FO or our fanbase.
i'm of the mindset to go after Lebron for Godsakes. To turn your nose up at AD like is madness to me. I'd give up pretty much everything but Dame/Ant to get AD. pairing dame with AD for about 4 more years most likely puts our potential ceiling (in that time frame) higher than any other possibility in the draft.
If he is still in his prime, why would the Lakers even consider that offer? What people are objecting to is paying far more then that for a player who may well be in decline and even at his best can't be counted on. Also, and I know this will piss people off, thanks to that embarassing play-off debacle a few years back AD is living rent free in the heads of many Blazer fans. He is a good player (when healthy), but not the huge star some people act like.
did you watch even a single bubble playoff game? if it were anyone other than lebron as his runningmate, he would have won Finals MVP. He was the best player on that team in almost every playoff game.
That has been covered. They wouldn't. It's why trade threads and conversations about trades are all just for fun. AD is not coming to Portland. Lets be clear. The Lakers would never trade Anthony Davis for Eric Bledsoe and 2 draft picks in this draft. It ain't gonna happen. If they did the it would be worse than going after Westbrook which might be the worse thing they have ever done to date.
