Anthony Davis was supposed to be the star that took the Lakers into the next generation when he was acquired in 2019. While AD was partnered up with LeBron James, many expected AD to take the lead on the team and become the franchise’s on-court #1 option. Sadly, injuries have restricted AD from taking that leap.
In the last 2 seasons, Davis has managed to play just 76 games combined, which has been a massive issue for the Lakers. Davis’ poor health has capped the success the team can have, but the big man is heading into the 2022-23 season as healthy as he can be and is hoping to sustain his health enough to possibly play 82 games this season, as he revealed during the Lakers’ media day.
Allie Clifton: "Any personal goals for you going [into this season]?"
Anthony Davis: "As much as I can, play all 82 [games], and then get back to the level of basketball that I know I'm capable of playing which is being elite and dominant."pic.twitter.com/EJAVrtQfjD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 26, 2022
“Honestly, just the past couple of seasons I’ve had, for me, it’s not been good years. My personal goal is, one, to play as much as I can out of the 82 [games], and two, to get back to the level of basketball I know I’m capable of playing, which is being elite and dominant… If I do that, the rest takes care of itself. Whatever happens, happens. I’d rather have a championship. My personal goal is to be on the floor for every game and get back to being the dominant basketball player I know I am capable of being.
Will A Healthy Anthony Davis Make The Lakers Title Contenders Again?
With the talent that Anthony Davis has, there is no reason he shouldn’t be a top 5 player in the NBA. Not only is he a defensive monster that can guard the perimeter as well as the paint, but he is also a versatile offensive big that can knock down shots from all three levels on the court.
If AD is healthy and playing to his best, he couldn’t ask for a better facilitator than LeBron James. LBJ has already said Davis will be the primary offensive option, so the team still trusts Davis to be the high-volume scoring leader he can be. Coach Darvin Ham has already stressed that AD is more important to his system than James or Russell Westbrook, so it’s a big season for Davis.
With LBJ and AD at their best, the Lakers have the best duo in basketball. They can definitely make a run in the playoffs, but they simply don’t have enough depth to feasibly say the team can be in the NBA Finals, even if both AD and LeBron stay healthy the entire year.
