Getty Lakers star Anthony Davis
Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis suffered a right foot injury against the Denver Nuggets on December 16 and missed the team’s next two games. The Lakers have yet to provide a clear update on Davis, but one prominent NBA insider has a bad one for Los Angeles fans.
On the December 19 episode of “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Davis will miss “an extended period” of time.
“He’s not gonna be out a game or two. He’s gonna be out an extended period,” Windhorst said. “Hopefully, it’s an injury he can get some treatment on and get it healed. It’s not good. It’s not a sprained ankle. It’s not a sprained foot. From what I understand, it’s something more concerning than that.”
The Lakers defeated the Washington Wizards without Davis on December 18. However, they lost to the Phoenix Suns on December 19. LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Austin Reaves didn’t play versus the Suns either.
Davis has appeared in 25 games this season for the Lakers, who are 13-17. The eight-time All-Star is averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 59.3% from the field, 29.0% from beyond the arc and 82.6% from the free-throw line.
Report: Some Within Lakers Fear Anthony Davis Could Miss 2-3 Months
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports reported on December 19 that some people within the Lakers organization fear Davis’ injury could keep him out for multiple months. Davis, who has the same agent as James, only played in 36 games in 2020-21 and 40 in 2021-22.
Anthony Davis’ foot injury could sideline the Lakers forward for longer than 1 month sources tell @BallySports.
Some on the Lakers side of things fear that the injury could sideline Davis for 2-3 months.
Davis, 29, has been one of the best players in the NBA this season. The Chicago native is 10th in the league in points per game, second in rebounds per game, second in player efficiency rating and fourth in blocks per game. The Lakers will likely struggle on both ends of the floor with Davis out of the lineup.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on December 18 that Davis is expected to miss at least one month. Lakers fans will have to decide who to believe between Robinson, Windhorst and Charania when it comes to Davis’ return timeline.
LA Times: Anthony Davis Injury Shouldn’t Deter Lakers; Trade Those Draft Picks Now
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times wrote on December 19 that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka should still trade the team’s draft picks in 2027 and 2029 this season to upgrade the roster despite Davis going down. James is still playing at an elite level despite being 37 going on 38.
“Provided Davis returns with enough time remaining in the regular season to build himself back up, the Lakers have to trust him to do what they are paying him to do. “In the meantime, the front office has to do what it’s paid to do, which is to place the right players around James and Davis,” Hernandez wrote. “They have won games this season with a limited roster. Give them another scorer, give them some shooters, and who knows what will happen. James and Davis won a championship just three years ago. This means trading the 2027 and 2029 picks. Dealing only one of them won’t bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be, regardless of whether they acquire a third star or acquire multiple high-level complementary players.”
The NBA trade deadline is February 9.