For the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James and Anthony Davis duo have worked miracles in the past. The fans would hope that happens again this season. Not just long ago, the pair helped the purple and gold win their 17th title in 2020. Albeit, in the following years, the trajectory has only gone downhill for the Lakers. They had a lot of trouble in their roster with the balance. But the most troublesome was the injuries to key players.
Last season, the Lakers did not have LeBron James for most of the edition. As a result, the purple and gold could not make the postseason. Anthony Davis carried the team for the most part but could not help the Lakers to go much further. Again, this season has presented a similar opportunity to AD, and only time will tell how far he can take the team in the season. However, James returned in the game against the Bulls after missing out on 13 games. Still, the rope to lead the squad past the win is in Davis’ hand, as LeBron isn’t 100% fit, despite his return.
Anthony Davis May Look To Replace LeBron James
LeBron James’ comeback did not greatly help the Lakers because the Bulls got the better of the hosts. Evidently, he does not look totally fit, either. Time is also running out for the Lakers to climb higher on the table. However, Anthony Davis mentioned that it was important for the team to have James back on the court. As per the Brow, “it was important for LeBron to get the rhythm back before the regular season gets over.” However, there are speculations that Anthony Davis might be looking for LeBron James’ position in the team. With James not 100% fit, it isn’t very certain as to how many matches he will play.
.@KendrickPerkins says there is more pressure on Anthony Davis to make a run, not LeBron 👀
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 27, 2023
"I believe that he is still auditioning for the Los Angeles Lakers to see if [he can] put the franchise in his hands." pic.twitter.com/DHAO3kKkTB
Hence, in his absence, everybody will look at AD anyway. Kendrick Perkins of ESPN also believes that Anthony Davis is not just thinking about this season. Perkins says AD is thinking about the future with the Lakers as well. Perkins explains that Anthony Davis is 30 years old and is at the peak of his career. He is averaging 25 ppg and 12 rpg. Davis is aware of the responsibility and people’s expectations. He might want that more. So, AD won’t mind if the Lakers’ front office gives him the leadership role after James is gone.
Lakers May Trade Davis If They Fail In This Season Too
But the question is if the Lakers fail to make the postseason this time, too, will the LA side keep AD or trade him? What about LeBron James? With his declining health, how long can he continue? The Los Angeles team will hope that they make full use of the remaining games. Firstly, they need to start with a sweet revenge against the Bulls in Chicago on their turf.
The Bulls really humiliated the Lakers in Crypto Arena.com and messed up the King’s return. The Los Angeles side will hope to make them pay for it. Moreover, the duo of James-Davis needs to fire in the next games. They will play a significant role if the Lakers make the postseason this time. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have a wealth of knowledge to display the best performance in the postseason.