Getty Anthony Davis at Lakers introductory press conference.
Anthony Davis is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Boy did it take time to get to LA LA Land.
As for Anthony Davis:
Demps told Magic this is what he wanted:
✅Lonzo
✅Kuzma
✅Ingram
✅Zubac
✅Hart
✅KCP
✅2019 unprotected FRP
✅2020 FRP swap
✅2021 unprotected FRP
✅2022 FRP swap
✅2023 unprotected FRP
✅2019 and 2021 2nd round picks
Lakers said: 👎🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽
Run the tape back.
How did we get here?
Multiple failed trade attempts between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Lakers by the NBA’s trade deadline, LeBron James’ injury and an attempt to get Kawhi Leonard who ultimately joined the Lakers’ Staples Center co-tenants, the Los Angeles Clippers.
This is 2019. Despite that the Lakers put a team together that is looking to compete for an NBA Championship this season.
If you’re keeping score at home: Six Lakers players returned from last season’s roster. Insert LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.
LA also added some vets. In addition to Davis, Lakers newcomers include the now injured DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels and rookie Talen Horton-Tucker.
That ain’t it!
The Lakers also have a new head coach in Frank Vogel. NBA Hall of Famer Jason Kidd headlines a list of assistant coaches in Frank Vogel’s stable.
Despite the change within the purple and in Davis’ scenery, he insists that it is time.
“I feel good,” Davis told me.
“I’m ready.”
The first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Davis, 26 has quite a basketball resume already.
A native of Chicago’s south side, collegiately he won a National Championship under head coach John Calipari at Kentucky. Internationally he won an Olympic gold medal under Coack K and USA Basketball.
Statistically in the NBA, the 6’10 forward is the cream of the crop.
With career averages of 23.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and nearly 3 blocks, The Brow has garnered three All-NBA First Team selections. A scorer no doubt, Davis also has one All NBA Defensive-First Team selection under his belt.
Davis had an incredible career with the Pelicans and he’s now a Laker.
What’s next?
Now in his mid-twenties, he’s playing under the bright lights of Los Angeles, California.
Remember the Disney movie The Little Mermaid? To humbly steal a quote from Ariel in her song, Part of Your World…
Davis likely wants to be where the people are and it’s likely he wants to see them dancing too!
He wants to compete for a championship.
What’s the plan?
“Do whatever I can to help this team win a championship,” Anthony Davis told me.
“That’s the main goal. That’s our goal and we are going to come in with the mindset that we’re all thinking. This is the year.”
Anthony Davis’ new Lakers teammate LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers last summer.
Things didn’t go as planned.
James injured his groin on Christmas Day and returned to the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup at the end of January after a very strenuous rehab process.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James injury is more complex than what has been initially reported, I’m told.
Per Lakers source: “LeBron could ‘rush back’ and return at the end of January. But he could very well be out until the end of February, or even longer.”
The Lakers missed the NBA Playoffs this past spring. In spite of that this summer has been about prepararion. “I like being uncomfortable in the offseason,” LeBron James told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
“I like being counted out. It motivates me.”
Yikes!
“I just [hope] for his sake if he wins here it’ll just add a couple extra shiny pages to his book,” NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal told me this summer about James and the Lakers.
“The book is already done but if he can win here it’ll just put because just going into Staples Center and look at those people up there those are some very impressive names.”
Anthony Davis seconds that line of thinking. “We want to make sure that when we come in, we have one goal in mind,” he told me.
“And that’s to come together and win a championship.”
Comments
Anthony Davis Opens up on Lakers’ Championship Aspirations