Getty Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are still coming to terms with the fact that they will be without superstar forward Anthony Davis for the foreseeable future after he sustained a foot injury against the Denver Nuggets on December 16.
According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, one way the Lakers can ease some of the pressure from Davis’ injury is by looking to the free agent market to add another impactful body, with DeMarcus Cousins being listed as the ideal candidate.
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Lakers Front Office Face Grim Options After Anthony Davis Injury
“Davis will get a timeline soon, but it may not be apparent by the February 9 trade deadline at what level he’ll return. That may lead to the team making cosmetic changes instead of a blockbuster. The Lakers may look for easier options like a cheaper free-agent center (perhaps DeMarcus Cousins) or whatever the team can bring back for Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and second-round draft considerations,” Pincus wrote on December 19.
Cousins hasn’t played in the NBA since leaving the Denver Nuggets at the end of last season, where he averaged 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game over 31 appearances, shooting 53% from two-point range and 32.4% from deep. However, should the Lakers decide to make a move for the veteran big man, they would be doing so in the hope that his experience and physical style of play could help the Lakers fill some of the void left behind by Davis’ injury.
Kendrick Perkins Sounds Off on Anthony Davis’ Longevity
Davis has struggled to remain healthy in recent seasons, so his current injury should come as no surprise. According to Kendrick Perkins, who was speaking on an episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, we should begin to expect Davis’ to miss periods of time for the rest of his career.
“I think we all have to start preparing ourselves for the rest of Anthony Davis’ career to expect that every season that he comes in, he’s going to be injured. He just has that type of body frame.”
“I think we all have to start preparing ourselves for the rest of Anthony Davis’ career, to expect that every season that he comes in, he’s going to be injured. I mean, he just have that type of body frame. It is what it is to this point. And this not me going at him, I just think we need to accept the fact we need to expect it,” Perkins said.
Davis has failed to participate in more than 40 games for the past two seasons, and right now, it’s possible that he could struggle to see the court enough to break that cycle, which considering his incredible level of recent play, is a significant loss to both the Lakers and basketball fans worldwide.
Anthony Davis Could Miss ‘At Least a Month’
According to a December 18 report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Lakers could be without Davis for ‘at least a month,’ but currently, unfortunately, the NBA Insider was able to provide an accurate time frame for the superstar’s recovery.
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis is expected to miss at least one month after suffering a right foot injury, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
“Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis is expected to miss at least one month after suffering a right foot injury…Lakers are bracing for an indefinite absence for the Lakers star, sources say, after he sustained the right foot injury in Friday’s win over Denver. Davis has played arguably the most dominant ball of his career this season,” Charania tweeted.
The Lakers will be hoping that they can still find ways to win without their superstar forward while also keeping a close eye on the workload placed upon LeBron James. Still, Lakers fans will be hoping their team can sustain their recent push up the Western Conference standings.