Getty Anthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers joke around before a game between the Lakers and the LA Clippers.
While the Lakers missed out on a third superstar in Kawhi Leonard in free agency, they head into next season loaded with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After a disappointing season for both players – in which LeBron got injured and missed time while Davis got “injured” after requesting a trade – they look to get back on track alongside one another this year.
Interestingly, a down year for LeBron still saw him average 27/8/8 while Anthony Davis’ down year saw him muster a 26/12 along with 2.4 blocks her game. Safe to say that with both players operating at their peak alongside one another, the results could be terrifying for opposing teams.
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NBA Analyst Predicts Anthony Davis Will Outscore LeBron James on Lakers
“I think Anthony Davis is going to lead the Lakers in scoring. But I think just from an all-around standpoint, leadership, determination, I think LeBron is going to bring it this season. I’m serious about that.” — @ChrisBHaynes
With both players capable of averaging north of 25 points per game, the question now turns into which superstar will lead the team in scoring. While NBA analyst Chris B. Haynes thinks that honor falls to Davis, he also feels that doesn’t take away from the monster season that LeBron is due for this year. While he might not lead the team in scoring, James will operate as the primary facilitator and should rack up a ton of assists moving the ball to Davis or his plethora of shooting weapons that the Lakers added.
Davis has put in a ton of work this offseason to get more comfortable with his shot from range, something that should be an incredible weapon playing alongside LeBron. As a big man, he can step out behind the three-point line and force his defender to either abandon the paint – leaving James able to take his man one on one to the hoop – or abandon him out behind the arc. As a result, Davis should get his fair share of looks and if he can dial in his shot consistently, he could become the most dangerous offensive weapon in the league.
Other Lakers New Additions This Offseason
Aside from Anthony Davis, the Lakers brought in a number of new faces to help fill out their supporting cast. While Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Alex Caruso, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope return, the remaining nine roster spots (eight of which are filled) will be fresh faces.
Joining Davis so far are DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Jared Dudley, Avery Bradley, and rookie second-round pick Talen Horton-Tucker. Clearly, the Lakers put an emphasis on shooting and perimeter defense this offseason by grabbing names like Green, Cook, Daniels, and Bradley. However, their biggest addition could come in the form of DeMarcus Cousins – who will be playing his first fully healthy season since his Achilles’ injury.
Cousins was brought on board to the Lakers for an extremely team-friendly amount and should have every opportunity to play heavy minutes. If Cousins can get back to being even a fraction of the All-NBA superstar he once was, the Lakers could find themselves the proud owner of the NBA’s best frontcourt come the postseason.