After a career-high games played in a single NBAseason last year, the L.A. Lakers are hopeful that Anthony Davis can replicate the health he demonstrated throughout the 2023-24 campaign once again, with league insider Mark Medina crediting the nine-time All-Star’s ‘enhanced training regimen’ for his improved health.
Expectations for the Lakers
Made no off-season upgrades
Whether it is because of their desire to maintain roster continuity, or that they just don’t have the appeal they once did to attract top free agents, the Lakers are entering the 2024-25 season with virtually the exact same roster with which they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.
Aside from the rookie additions of Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, the Lakers will be spearheaded once again by considerably underrated Anthony Davis and LeBron James after he committed his future to the Purple and Gold by signing a two-year, $104 million max extension in free agency.
But while they don’t come into the 2024-25 campaign with any additional star power, not through lack of trying, with James reportedly willing to have taken a pay cut for the right player, they do now have a new head coach after Darvin Ham was replaced by JJ Redick, who has arguably one of the most high-pressure roles in the entire NBA for his first head coaching gig.
A new change in coaching personnel could be a difference maker, though, with it expected that players like Austin Reaves will be able to thrive under his leadership. For Reaves in particular, next season could also be a big one for his development, with the 26-year-old having a full summer off having not been on international duty for Team USA.
But what that means for their chances next season remains uncertain, with the rest of the Western Conference bolstering their rosters, though the Lakers name brings with it a huge weight of expectation, regardless of their off-season business, or lack thereof.
Davis Now Able To Play Through Pain
Medina feels that Davis had such a good season last year that he should have received more than the 60 first-place votes he got for the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while he also believes that he should have at least been a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, where he narrowly missed out.
Furthermore, the journalist makes the point that while Davis has struggled with staying healthy in the past, last year was a real indication of how much he has gone about his off-court training, and being able to play through minor injuries that he perhaps wouldn’t have done in the past.
“He should have got a lot more votes for his NBA All-Defensive First Team nod, and even for Defensive Player of the Year. He showed with Team USA that he was the best big on the floor, and his chemistry with LeBron James is great. They have a great one-two game.
And the obvious knock on AD is, can he stay healthy? You never say never. I’m not going to be naive to think he’s the next NBA Iron Man, but he was mostly healthy last season. I think that’s a testament to him enhancing his training regimen and being able to play through pain when, in past seasons, maybe that wasn’t the case.”
Snubbed for DPOY?
Ranked fourth in the NBA for blocks (2.3)
There is no doubt about it – Davis looked back at his best last season, and had the longevity to go with it.
Playing in a career-high 76 contests for the Lakers, the 31-year-old averaged 35.5 minutes per game in which he posted 24.7 points at a 55.6 percent shooting clip, while he averaged 12.6 rebounds – a career-high – 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Furthermore, his 2.3 blocks per contest saw him finish the regular season as the fourth-leading shot blocker in the NBA, behind rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama (3.6 blocks), Walker Kessler and Brook Lopez (each with 2.4 blocks).
Defensively, though, for a Lakers team which ranked 17th in the league with a 114.8 defensive rating, Davis was one of the standout performers on that side of the ball, especially when defending inside the perimeter.
When it came down to defending two-pointers, the three-time NBA blocks leader held his opponents to just 52.4 percent shooting from the field, down from 69.4 percent for a swing of eight percent, while he held his opponents to just 47.9 percent shooting overall.
Despite him helping the Lakers into the post-season – via the Play-In Tournament – he would miss out on being named a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, with the nods going to eventual winner Rudy Gobert, Wembanyama and Team USA teammate, Bam Adebayo.
Furthermore, though he earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors, he received just 60 first-place votes, six less than Herbert Jones of the
New Orleans Pelicans, in fifth place.
With the snub still raw in his mind, the Lakers will be hoping that their star forward/center uses it as fuel to come with a vengeance next season, as L.A. seek to make up some ground in a more competitive Western Conference than ever.