When he is healthy, there aren’t many better players in the NBA than Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis. He is a dominant big man with the ability to shoot the basketball well.
He proved his talents to the world when he helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2020 NBA Championship. But since winning the ring with the Lakers, fans haven’t seen AD play basketball consistently.
He has been sidelined for several weeks and even months at times due to injuries. His absence has had a clear impact on the Purple and Gold over the last two seasons. They ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs in the 2020-21 NBA season and missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 NBA season.
So it is obvious that the Lakers need AD to be at his best if they want to try and win another ring. But due to the fact that he has been sidelined for so long, most have forgotten just how good of a basketball player he actually is.
It looks like Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka still fully trusts his star player. Pelinka recently talked about AD being one of the best two-way players in the league, and he will prove that next season.
“He’s a top 3 two-way player in our game when he’s healthy…I fully expect that’s who he’ll be for the Lakers next year.”
Rob Pelinka has high expectations for Anthony Davis heading into next season.@thefrankisola | @jumpshot8 | #NBA2K23SummerLeague | #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/vFiV49D9oa
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 14, 2022
“AD works quietly. He doesn’t put it on Instagram, the sweat videos. I know he’s been running the sand dunes. I think he’s getting in the boxing ring and doing some reps there. Just really trying to do all he can to come in to camp in incredible shape.
He sees all the naysayers and all the people saying, can he stay healthy for a full season. That’s just fuel for him, to have a big year. He’s a top three two-way player in our game when he’s healthy and playing at that level. That’s who we traded for and I fully expect that’s who he will be for the Lakers next year.”
If what Pelinka said is true, then fans will see an incredibly motivated Anthony Davis play for the L.A. Lakers next season.
But is a healthy Anthony Davis and LeBron James good enough to defeat the current teams in the Western Conference? We will find out very soon when the 2022-23 NBA season begins.
