Davis was clumsy in executing his exit strategy, especially at firsthe fulfilled his wish: Strong partnership with LeBron James at the Los Angeles Lakers. James and Davis have won the 2020 title thanks to a mutually beneficial relationship. James carried the heaviest load on the offense, Davis organized the defense, and his combination of talent and athleticism dominated the bubble competition.
For Durant, Davis’ life after the controversy and extended bare-knuckle negotiations is a reminder of his tough feelings. Failed power play against Brooklyn Nets It should dissipate somewhat over time. Meanwhile, Durant’s appearance underscores that Davis has become the NBA’s most forgotten superstar since leaving Disney World with the Larry O’Brien trophy two years ago.
Davis has all the qualifications it takes to be one of the faces of basketball. He is a former number one pick who enjoyed an outstanding freshman campaign at the University of Kentucky and won an Olympic gold medal as a teenager. He was named an eight-time All-Star in his NBA’s highest-profile franchise, and a smooth scorer and versatile defender he’s rolled into one. At just 29, he’s younger than Shaquille O’Neal when he broke up with Kobe Bryant and younger than Kevin Garnett when he joined the Boston Celtics.
As the Lakers’ favorite choice, Davis was apparently planning to take over the baton from James and challenge his peers, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, for control of the league. Instead, Davis has succumbed to injuries that have derailed the Lakers, playing only 76 total games over the past two seasons.
After peaking in the bubble playoffs by providing a reliable All-World defense, averaging 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, Davis was eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 postseason. , and only appeared in three games after that. All-Star break last season. As a result, Davis was not named an All-Star for the first time since his rookie year, and the Lakers slipped from preseason conference favorites to an embarrassing 11th place.
Health concerns aren’t the only issues dampening Davis’ glow. Los Angeles’ dismal 2021 offseason has robbed him of like-minded defensive contributors like Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with a ball-dominant guard lacking the setup skills of Rajon Rondo. stuck him with a certain Russell Westbrook.
As a result, the larger Davis tried to cover too many weak links on defense and struggled to find a groove on offense as his three-point attempts and shooting percentage on midrange jumpers fell off the cliff. Notably, the Lakers went just 17-23 with Davis on the court. This was a surprising result from the postseason where Davis played as a regular in his campaign for the 2020 title, with his season going 62-21. in the meantime, James signing maximum extension in recent two yearscontinued to dominate headlines, produced at an elite level, and delayed Davis’ franchise acquisition.
The Lakers’ 2022 offseason hasn’t done Davis much favors so far. Westbrook’s trade has yet to develop and Patrick Beverley’s contract for the upcoming free-agent class (highlighted by Lonnie Walker IV, Thomas Bryant and Juan Toscano-Anderson) is a proven difference. It does not bring players who produce Los Angeles hired Durbin Hamm Taking over as coach to replace Frank Vogel, the former Milwaukee Bucks assistant soon began talking to Davis about his importance to the Lakers.
“When he’s as healthy as the 2020 bubble run, he’ll easily be in the top five, top three in the league.” Hamm said on the Showtime podcast in July“This wouldn’t work without AD. …He’s central to the championship table we’re trying to build.”
Even setting aside an overly ambitious title talk, Davis finds himself at a reputational crossroads. Basketball-Reference.com give him 98.5% chance to win induction —but he lost his way to becoming the greatest of all time in what once felt like a fateful journey.
If Davis endures another season riddled with injuries or otherwise underwhelmed, tough questions are inevitable. Can Davis be the best player on a title team? Given that he’s only appeared in those games twice, how much worse will his injury problem be in his 30s? How long can you afford to wait before exploring future alternatives?
The good news for Davis is that his current contract runs through the 2024-25 season, so he can play next season without contract concerns. But the reason for skepticism about the Lakers lingers. Westbrook’s style of play and his biggest contract are the main obstacles. James has been dealing with his own recurring injury issues. Davis hasn’t surrounded himself with enough positive defenders yet.
Much like Durant, Davis has shied away from fame at times, but generally prefers to let his game speak for itself. This strategy works well in winning seasons, but creates a vacuum that is easily filled with criticism during tough times.
Davis weathered the storm of 2019 and won the ring, but true greats find ways to do it again and again. There’s still time for him to get things back on track, but he won’t waste it.
