LeBron James and Anthony Davis together led the Los Angeles Lakers to their 17th championship in the 2019-20 season amid the pandemic. Although AD joined the Lakers in 2019, after coming from the New Orleans Pelicans, he helped the Lakers win a championship right after he joined. Hence, the fans were hoping for many more to come in the future. But in the following years, the iconic Lakers duo did not live up to the expectations of the fans. The squad did not make the postseason last year. But they had an excellent chance to win it all this year if they could overcome the tough opponents in the conference finals. Denver Nuggets were the top seed of the Western Conference and the eventual champions.
Nonetheless, fans must be happy about how the Lakers turned things around in the midseason. That helped the team make the postseason as the seventh seed of the West. Apparently, Anthony Davis led the side pretty well to make the postseason. The Lakers beat the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies as well as the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, in the playoffs round 1 & 2. But LeBron James is not happy even after AD led the miraculous turnaround. Apparently, James is blaming AD for not being consistent and too injury-prone.
LeBron James Is Over AD
According to Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, “King James is frustrated with and over AD.” He suggested that James does not believe in the toughness of his teammate. The King does not think AD is the guy who can help him win his 5th championship ring. Everybody knows that LeBron James is desperate to win another championship. He is 38 and at the twilight of his career. The 2022-23 season was his 20th career NBA season. However, LeBron is planning to stay and wait for his son Bronny James to make his NBA debut. The dream has always been for the father-son duo to play alongside in the league someday.
However, after the humiliating loss against the Nuggets in the WCF, the Lakers ace slyly hinted that he is thinking of retirement. In the post-game interview, LeBron James mentioned, “I have a lot to think about regarding the game of basketball.” Hence, he may possibly announce his retirement soon or may want a replacement for Anthony Davis. It won’t be a shock if James asks the front office to trade him to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie Irving. Moreover, it is hard to depend on AD for a whole season as he has not played more than 62 games for the Lakers as of yet.
Is Anthony Davis The Right Choice To Lead The Lakers In The Future?
However, fans and experts know how good the camaraderie between LeBron James and Anthony Davis is. Even AD made it clear in the midseason that “You’ll know me and Bron’s relationship.” The 30-year-old power forward indicates that his bond with James is pretty tight. But there are certain things the Lakers must consider about trading Anthony Davis next year or this. For instance, the eight-time All-Star has questionable health and is not consistent with his form. Moreover, he is covering the cap space of the Lakers with an expensive contract. On top of that, Anthony Davis must be eyeing an even more expensive contract extension next year.