Should Lakers consider Ben Simmons-Anthony Davis swap?

The Ben Simmons drama that enveloped the beginning of the NBA season was, at one point, the biggest single story the league had to offer. 

A disgruntled All-Star withheld his services, then reluctantly rejoined his team after losing ground in the stubborn standoff between the two. Then, he was subsequently held out of action by the team that claimed it so desperately wanted him back after play got underway.

While things were the opposite of cordial for the two sides in the City of Brotherly love, the drama has died to a near-moot point just over two months into the season. Philly is sustaining itself in the wake of Simmons' absence, holding on to a tie for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.

Simmons, meanwhile, remains on the 76ers roster but has yet to suit up for a single game. In fact, he hasn't even been seen on the team's sideline during games.

But that doesn't mean folks aren't talking about him.

While Simmons' actual on-court endeavors have produced minimal talking points, the imaginative gears of NBA talking heads have been turning in regarding what could be if Simmons landed elsewhere via trade.

And Skip Bayless' mental wheels are rotating with the ferocity of a turbo-charged race car.

On Thursday, when discussing a report that the Los Angeles Lakers would love to land Simmons, Bayless said that Simmons' value exceeds that of even Anthony Davis.

"Ben Simmons is three-plus years younger than Anthony Davis," he said on "Undisputed."

"AD is not relatively healthy, it's always something with him. If you want a basketball player, I suggest Ben Simmons right now would be more valuable to you than Anthony Davis. He got his ring and it almost felt like he semi-retired. He's not that into anymore. I don't see the urgency in his game."

But in Shannon Sharpe's mind, acquiring Simmons is a potential reality that doesn't make sense. The main reason: Russell Westbrook.

"I'll trade AD for Nikola Jokic, for Dame Lillard or Joel Embiid, but not no Ben Simmons!" Sharpe said.

"Your backcourt is Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons. Let's just say for the sake of argument that they're position-less. That's cinder blocks, cement boulders. That's the problem. I get AD has not played well. He didn't play well last year, and I think he's off to an even worse start this year. But he's still 28 years old. I'm not trading him for Ben Simmons. It makes no sense."

Davis' name hasn't been the only one in the mix in L.A.

Even LeBron James has seen the trade rumor mill churn in his direction during the team's struggles, as reports have swelled surrounding his unhappiness in L.A. But according to The Athletic's Shams Charania, via James' agent Rich Paul, no team will be receiving a care package involving "The King" this holiday season or any time in the near future.

Still, the fact that the rumors exist in the first place is cause for concern in the eyes of Bayless.

"This was a bolt out of the blue for me," Bayless said.

"I think it also hit Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka right between the eyes, and they looked at each other like, ‘What? We’re not trading LeBron James.' Yet Shams connected with Rich. … To me, Rich Paul answered the question and gave it credibility. You would think Rich would say, ‘What? Why are you asking me that question?' But it didn’t seem like Shams got that answer."

As we near the NBA's hearty Christmas Day entrée, this fact is becoming crystal clear: It's going to be much harder than once thought for the Lakers to put on winning displays on a nightly basis. 

But will it get so bad that even King James is no longer untouchable?

You can check out the full "Undisputed" debate below!