With a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis firing on all cylinders, there’s no telling what the Los Angeles Lakers’ ceiling might be. While LeBron producing at an MVP level is a sure thing after he posted 30.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 52.4% from the floor at age-37 last season, Davis is a huge wild card.
While Davis’ injury history is well-documented, he’s yet to rediscover the form he showcased during the Lakers’ championship run in the bubble. Since then, the eight-time All-Star’s played 76 games over the last two seasons and his three-point shooting has fallen off a cliff.
Despite that, Davis has insisted playing away from the rim. At 6-foot-10 and 253 pounds with a ridiculously long wingspan, Lakers fans — and everyday basketball fans — have begged Davis to dominate the paint and use his imposing frame to his advantage.
A player of his size and caliber takes way too many fall-away jumpers, especially when he has smaller defenders guarding him.
That could change in 2022-23, however, as Darvin Ham said the Lakers are seriously considering deploying Davis at the five.
Darvin Ham says Anthony Davis starting at the 5 to begin the regular season for the Lakers is “on the table” and under “heavy consideration.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 10, 2022
Is Lakers star Anthony Davis finally open to playing center?
Ham probably wouldn’t say this if Davis wasn’t on board. While the new head coach has reportedly been given the power to bench Russell Westbrook down the stretch of games, Davis likely has the final say in where he starts every night.
Davis playing the five would open up the Lakers’ offense. One fewer big man on the floor means there’d be more floor-spacing. We LeBron and Davis have unparalleled chemistry, it’s no secret James plays better when he has more space.
If the Lakers strike a deal with the Pacers for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, you’re talking about adding an elite three-point shooter in Hield and a player who shoots the three exceptionally well (34.9% for his career) for a big man.
There’s just no reason for Davis, a middling three-point shooter in his career at 30.3%, to hang out on the perimeter. The three-time block champ is now two full seasons removed from shooting 38.3% in the playoffs during Los Angeles’ title run in 2019-20.
That’s not to say Davis should be given the Russell Westbrook treatment in terms of chucking up threes, but utilizing Davis at the five relative to the four gives Ham so much more versatility with his starting lineup and overall rotation.
WE’RE GETTING THIS VERSION OF ANTHONY DAVIS THIS SEASON 〰️pic.twitter.com/RSdU9wqOM8
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) October 10, 2022
Suddenly, Ham can play LeBron at his preferred point-forward position and the Lakers could surround him with two of Kendrick Nunn, Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Toscano-Anderson or Austin Reaves on the wing.
You won’t mistake any of those players for prime Ray Allen, but the floor-spacing in comparison to playing Davis at the four next to Thomas Bryant or Damian Jones at the five and LeBron at the three would be night and day.
This HAS to happen. Plain and simple.
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