NBA Rumors: Proposed Knicks-Lakers Trade Lands Anthony Davis In New York

According to Kenneth Teape of NBA Analysis Network, one of the most intriguing trade destinations for Davis this season is the New York Knicks. After establishing an impressive performance last year, the Knicks are noticeably struggling this season. As of now, they are on a two-game losing streak, sitting in the No. 11 spot in the Eastern Conference with a 17-20 record.

Trading for Davis may not make them an instant favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2022 NBA Finals, but it would give them a better chance of reaching the playoffs.

Having a plethora of interesting trade assets, the Knicks would be in a strong position to engage in a blockbuster deal should the Lakers make Davis available on the trading block before the 2022 NBA trade deadline. In his article, Teape came up with a hypothetical trade idea that would enable the Knicks to acquire Davis from the Lakers.

In the proposed trade scenario, the Knicks would be sending a package that includes Julius Randle, Kemba Walker, Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox II, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 first-round pick to the Lakers in exchange for Davis, Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, and Kent Bazemore.

Davis would be an incredible acquisition for the Knicks. His potential arrival in New York would fulfill their dream of adding a legitimate superstar to their roster. The addition of Davis, provided that he fully recovers from his knee injury, would significantly improve the Knicks' performance on both ends of the floor.

He would give them a very reliable scoring option, a monster rebounder, a quality rim protector, and a decent floor-spacer. This season, he's averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.2 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field, per ESPN.

Though it is less likely to happen before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the proposed blockbuster trade with the Knicks would be worth exploring for the Lakers, especially if they no longer think that Davis could help them win another NBA championship title. By sending him to Big Apple, the Lakers would be acquiring two veteran players with Randle and Walker.

Randle could fill the hole that Davis would be leaving in the Lakers' frontcourt, while Walker would provide a boost in their backcourt. Meanwhile, as Teape noted, Robinson, Quickley, and Knox II, together with the future draft picks, would give the Lakers a "long-term building block" in preparation for LeBron James' inevitable retirement.