The fate of these two Western Conference teams was different heading into the 2021-22 NBA season.
The Los Angeles Lakers were supposed to finish at the top of the league and be favorites to win a title. The Memphis Grizzlies, after a postseason appearance last year, were hoping to take the next step. Instead, it is Memphis who is still alive fighting for a title.
The Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference this season. Ja Morant started out as an early-season MVP candidate and this is where he is expected to be for years to come. Jaren Jackson Jr. is locked up long-term and all of a sudden, there is a core in Memphis to rely on.
The same could be said about Los Angeles coming into the season but who knows what it will look like now? The Lakers are built around LeBron James and the decisions he wants to make.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Ranking 3 Most Likely Trade Destinations For Lakers’ Anthony Davis
Early in his tenure, that was to bring Anthony Davis to town and this led to a championship. Once Russell Westbrook showed up, the consistency and fluidity disappeared. After a season missing the playoffs that can be considered one of the most disappointing in league history, there could be some big changes.
Let’s look at what a hypothetical NBA trade scenario could look like sending Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Memphis Grizzlies.
