Despite a subpar roster and a horrible start, the Los Angeles Lakers are still in the fight for the Western Conference playoffs. Ahead of their game against Portland on Sunday, they were 4 games below .500 and just 2.5 games back from the 6th seed in the West.
And according to the latest update from head coach Darvin Ham, L.A. is on the verge of welcoming back Anthony Davis to the court.
Here’s what he said before tipoff Sunday night:
Darvin Ham said Anthony Davis “looked phenomenal” going through a full contact scrimmage on Saturday with the ‘stay ready’ group that includes some coaching staffers and low-minute players. The ramp up towards a return to game action continues to trend in a positive direction.
Darvin Ham said Anthony Davis “looked phenomenal” going through a full contact scrimmage on Saturday with the ‘stay ready’ group that includes some coaching staffers and low-minute players. The ramp up towards a return to game action continues to trend in a positive direction.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 23, 2023
So, Anthony Davis is about to return. But what does that mean for the Lakers?
Before he went down this season, Davis was on an absolute tear with averages of 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on 59% shooting. But unless the Lakers make a move or two at the deadline, it’s unlikely they’ll pose any real threat to the NBA’s elite.
Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Will Not Sell Future For Win-Now Trade
With just two first-round draft picks remaining for the next decade, L.A. is being understandably stubborn about giving them up in any trade, especially one that would barely move the needle.
In fact, according to various sources, Jeanie Buss herself has shut down the idea of sacrificing the team’s long-term future.
“They have come this far without trading the two picks (in 2027 and 2029) away, and it is going to be very hard to move Russell Westbrook without putting one of those picks into the deal. You’ve got a lot of the organization saying, ‘We should trade picks and win now,’ but some in the organization are saying, ‘Do not sell out the future.’ And Jeanie Buss is with the second group, and that is what matters most.” (h/t Heavy)
When AD gets back, we’ll get the chance to see this Lakers team at full strength for the first time in a while, and they look a lot better now than they did in October and November.
Let’s just hope Davis is able to stay on the court for the remainder of the season so the Lakers can have a real and honest shot at returning to the playoffs.
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