No, Pat Riley wouldn’t trade Bam and Jimmy for Anthony Davis

Davis is too injury-prone to make such a move.

Rumors swirl around the NBA during All-Star weekend. (Like those brewing about LeBron James’ dissatisfaction with the Lakers.) But people also make absurd claims. That happened when Chris Broussard of Fox Sports 1 said that Pat Riley might trade both Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

First of all, Butler and Davis make roughly the same amount of money, so including Adebayo in the trade would require the Lakers to include other players. And Davis’ history of injuries is concerning. He played in just 36 games last season. After missing 17 consecutive games earlier this season, Davis will miss another four weeks. There’s a reason Charles Barkley nicknames him “Street Clothes.”

Let’s not forget that Broussard claimed to have texted with Kevin Durant for two or three hours before Durant called him out for lying. Broussard apparently wants to propose a lopsided trade to prop up the Lakers because of the rumors that LeBron James may leave LA.

If the Miami Heat don’t win a championship this year, Riley won’t trade Butler or Adebayo. He views them as franchise cornerstones. He’d try to find better pieces around the two of them. He wouldn’t trade them both for Davis.