2. He’ll be teamed up with other good/great defenders
Even more than offense, defense is truly a team effort. For an NBA team to become an elite defensive unit, they need more than one guy who has the ability, desire and work ethic to produce at a high level on that end.
While playing in New Orleans, Davis never really played with any other high-level defenders. The one exception was Jrue Holiday, who has been named to the All-Defensive team the past two seasons. But overall the team was dreadful in that department, as they finished higher than 22nd in defensive efficiency only twice in Davis’ time there.
But with the Lakers, Davis will have help in turning his new team into a defensive juggernaut. One man who should greatly help is Danny Green, a two-time NBA champion who has always had a reputation as one of the league’s best wing defenders.
They also possess Avery Bradley, someone who can pressure the other team’s main ball-handler, as well as Jared Dudley, who’s the type of player you’d hate to be guarded by if he’s on the other team.
Davis has never had multiple perimeter defenders like that on his team. Such players should lessen the load on him in terms of defending the paint and having to help on guards or wings who are driving the lane.