There is no doubt that Anthony Davis has been one of the bigger disappointments in the NBA over the last couple of years. Entering the 2020-21 campaign, AD seemed set to take over as the main man for the Los Angeles Lakers after his dominant showings the season prior, but he has been trending downwards ever since.
Injuries have played a role in that for sure, but that can’t be an excuse, and the fact remains that AD has failed to live up to expectations for a while now. His last two seasons have seen him put up his lowest scoring averages since his 2nd year in the league, and he shot a dismal 18.6% from beyond the arc in 2021-22, to go with a career-low free throw percentage of 71.3%. Despite all this, new head coach Darvin Ham remains a big believer in Davis as he heaped praise on him when asked about his expectations of the big man during an appearance on the All The Smoke Podcast.
(starts at 0:58 mark):
“Just to be healthy. At the end of the day, it all starts and ends there with him. His skill set is undeniable. When he’s healthy like he was in 2020 in that bubble run, he’s top 5 in the league easy, top 3! He is another one I’ve had great communication and great rapport with. And I just told him man don’t be caught up in bulls*** and take care of your body.”
“This is not gonna work without AD. No disrespect to Bron or disrespect to Russ, they’re gonna be who they are. Bron is going to continue to be great and Russ is going to have a much, much better season but having AD available, especially with the guys we just signed, the young guys, it’s going to be invaluable. And he’s the centerpiece to that championship table that we are trying to build.”
That’s very high praise right there, and for Ham’s sake, we hope Davis lives up to those expectations. He was supposed to hit those heights after his amazing displays in the 2020 playoffs, but he never took that next step.
GM Rob Pelinka had also previously stated that Davis is a top 3 two-way player in the league, and it’s clear that those within the Lakers organization are looking to him to deliver the goods this upcoming season and help them contend for another title.
