Getty Anthony Davis poses with his jersey as he is introduced as the newest player of the Los Angeles Lakers.
While most of the recent Lakers news has revolved around Dwight Howard and the hunt for DeMarcus Cousins‘ replacement, Anthony Davis quietly made an appearance at Dodger Stadium to throw out the first pitch on Lakers Night. While a number of basketball players have failed miserably at getting the ball across the plate, Davis showed off a surprisingly competent delivery to the plate.
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WATCH: Anthony Davis Fires First Pitch Strike to Kenley Jansen on Lakers’ Night
.@AntDavis23 First Pitch on @Lakers night was a Strike right down the middle.
While he lobbed it in, Davis not only got it over the plate but threw a picture-perfect strike to set the tone for the Dodgers matchup with the Blue Jays. More impressive was the fact that Davis actually decided to toe the rubber – a decision that usually ends poorly for many first pitches. Along with throwing out the first pitch, Davis made the rounds in the Dodgers clubhouse and had the opportunity to mingle with some of his new fellow Angelenos.
The Dodgers sit atop the National League and have been a steady presence in the World Series the past two seasons and Davis is entrusted with helping to lead the Lakers back to a similar level of success. Having not made the playoffs since Dwight Howard’s lone season in 2012-2013, the Lakers are banking that their pairing of Anthony Davis and LeBron James puts them back at the forefront of the league.
Lakers Hunt For Replacement Center Heating Up
While the Lakers were able to add Davis, as mentioned above they new free agent DeMarcus Cousins to an ACL injury. With only JaVale McGee still healthy on the roster in terms of their big men, the Lakers would ideally like to land a replacement for Cousins and avoid having to use Anthony Davis to fill in minutes at the five.
The Lakers are already scheduled to work out Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah, and Marreese Speights but could potentially add a few more names to that list in the coming weeks. With training camp around the corner, the Lakers would ideally like to have someone in place before they break camp. However, given that the free-agent market isn’t likely to change much over the next few months, the Lakers can afford to take their time and hope for a better fit to possibly land on the market.
While Howard seems to be a favorite among Laker fans – despite his history with the team/fanbase – he still remains a member of the Grizzlies and is awaiting a buyout. All signs point to the buyout happening relatively soon, though Howard is likely holding out to ensure he has a solid landing spot and guaranteed minutes before agreeing to his side of the deal.
Among names the Lakers have yet to bring in are Kenneth Faried and a crop of aging vets including Nene Hilario, Andrew Bogut, and Zaza Pachulia. While none of the aforementioned players would be a “sexy” pick, the Lakers are essentially picking from the island of misfit toys at this point and need to find a way to make do with the options that are available as any trade help is still months away.