With training camp for the 2024-25 season nearing, the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. They have made virtually no offseason additions, and while many are predicting doom and gloom for them, some feel they’re being underrated or counted out.
Superstar big man Anthony Davis is immensely important to the Lakers’ hopes of taking a step forward this year, as he has been to the team in general ever since he arrived in a blockbuster trade five years ago. He had arguably his best campaign ever last season, but he still has to deal with those who insist he’s inconsistent, lazy, soft or simply overrated.
Achieving these three goals this coming season would strengthen Davis’ standing in the NBA while helping Los Angeles to be as competitive as possible.
1. Show more leadership
One thing Davis’ critics have gotten on him for is not being enough of a vocal leader. While LeBron James remains the dominant personality on the team and will be so as long as he’s around, it would help if Davis would be a little more vocal.
Davis could also possibly play a role in the development of Christian Koloko, a former second-round draft pick the Lakers recently signed to a two-way contract. Koloko’s wingspan is 7-foot-5, which almost matches Davis’ wingspan, and the superstar big man could help get the most out of Koloko by working with him in the weeks and months to come.
2. Improve as an outside shooter
Davis is known for his immensely high shooting efficiency in the paint (he made 77.4% of his shot attempts from within three feet of the basket last season). But he has never been a consistently good outside shooter.
However, in the last 26 games of the 2019-20 season (which predates the resumption of the season in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble), he made 37.8% of his 3-point attempts, and he shot 38.3% from downtown in 21 playoff games as L.A. won the NBA championship.
Under new head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers will likely increase their 3-point volume after finishing 28th in 3-point attempts last season. It seems like Davis may be called upon to let it fly more often from beyond the arc, and if he does so, he will have to improve on his 27.1% accuracy from that distance last season.
3. Stay healthy!
It seems like staying healthy is most of the battle for Davis. Even in the seasons in which he missed lots of games due to a major injury, he still put up excellent numbers, but last season, he played in a career-high 76 games.
Unlike some other big men, such as Joel Embiid and former Lakers center Andrew Bynum, Davis doesn’t appear to have some sort of chronic, recurring specific injury concern. His injuries tend to happen randomly to random body parts, which makes it foolish to just automatically assume he will miss a large cluster of games each season.
A healthy Davis is a dominant Davis, and a Lakers team with a healthy and dominant Davis is a Lakers team that could surprise some people.