The Los Angeles Lakers watched Anthony Davis become a strong leader during his five-and-a-half seasons wearing purple and gold, and the Washington Wizards are quickly learning about his impact. They acquired AD before the trade deadline, but a hand injury prevented the big man from playing a game. Davis is healthy, and general manager Will Dawkins is already touting his impact.
“I think the important thing for us is just building on the summer and making sure we are ready to go at the beginning of the year. He was out here with all of our guys. We had every single one of our team members here for game one. We had all 17 guys on the roster here, and he was a big part of what we had going on, working out, and leading the group workouts for our veteran players.”
The Lakers saw similar things as AD matured. The ten-time All-Star was always an elite talent, but he focused on making his teammates better as he reached his prime. Davis is a game-changing defender and is already making an impact on the young Wizards.
Wizards are already seeing the leadership Anthony Davis developed with the Lakers
AD learned from LeBron. They kept bringing in veterans and helping them get paid. Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder, and Jaxson Hayes are just a few names the Lakers increased their value. Davis deserves some of the credit for those leaps because of his leadership.
The Lakers had to move on when they were shockingly offered Luka Doncic. Things immediately changed in Los Angeles. The Lakers started building around Luka and even granted Doncic the wish they wouldn’t grant for Davis after years of asking.
Davis is still producing elite numbers, but his injury history is a question mark. The Lakers hope Walker Kessler can give them more games, but he won't have the offensive game of Davis. AD is an elite two-way force that few can match.
Washington is banking on The Brow and Trae Young getting them back into contention. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2021 and haven’t won a playoff series since 2017. The Wizards got two stars to team up with number one overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa. They need a leader for their young roster, and Davis is taking over that role.
Lakers fans aren’t surprised. Davis was long touted as the heir to LeBron’s throne in Los Angeles. He grew into a leader (subscription required) and was ready to be the purple and gold’s best player. Nobody expected the Lakers to land Luka. It changed the franchise’s plans, but the leadership AD learned is carrying over in his new home.
The Washington Wizards are already touting Anthony Davis’ leadership and will likely extend the future Hall of Famer's contract for multiple years. The Los Angeles Lakers helped him develop that leadership and focus on improving his teammates. Washington is reaping the benefits, and no Laker fan should be surprised.
Expect Davis to put up monster numbers in the nation’s capital and help them win whenever he is healthy. Injuries have been a significant problem for AD. Hopefully, things change with the Wizards, but only time will tell. Washington will benefit from having The Brow. It is just a question of how much will be on the court.
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