As well as Anthony Davis has played over the last season or two for the Los Angeles Lakers, plenty feel he could do even better if he were moved to the power forward spot some of the time.
He has played almost exclusively at the 5 over the last two years, and there is a sentiment that the Lakers need to acquire a legitimate starting center and start Davis at the 4 in order to take a step forward. After all, that was the setup they used during the 2019-20 season when they won their most recent NBA championship.
In the past, Davis has said he prefers to play the 4 spot, and he has reportedly reaffirmed that desire to the organization.
Via ESPN:
“One thing Davis has made clear to the Lakers, sources told ESPN, is his preference to play alongside another big more often,” wrote Dave McMenamin.
Of course, the problem is that Los Angeles doesn’t really have another player who is capable of holding down the starting 5 spot.
“The Lakers are thin in the middle going into the season with Christian Wood expected to be out for at least eight weeks following left knee surgery, leaving Jaxson Hayes and two-way player Colin Castleton as the only other healthy centers on the roster,” McMenamin added.
In the 2019-20 campaign, the Lakers had JaVale McGee starting at center, and he served as one-half of a solid tag-team duo along with Dwight Howard. They were reportedly interested in snagging Jonas Valanciunas, a 6-foot-11, 265-pound center, but he opted to sign with the Washington Wizards, who are coming off a 15-67 finish last season.
However, McMenamin did report that Valanciunas is someone the Lakers may pursue via trade in the coming months.