CAN THE LAKERS COUNT ON ANTHONY DAVIS TO BE ‘THE GUY’?

After the blockbuster trade that brought AD from the Big Easy to Hollywood back in November 2019, it did not take long for the big fella to make his presence felt with the purple and gold uniform on. The NBA’s most polarizing franchise (sorry Celtics fans) won a title in Davis’s inaugural campaign, and has compiled a cumulative 181-123 record (.595 W%) with him on the court across his 6x seasons. On an individual level, the former Kentucky Wildcat has accrued an impressive collection of acknowledgements thus far in his time in Tinseltown: 3x All-Star appearances + 1x All-NBA First Team selection + 2x All-Defensive First Team selection + 1x Olympic Gold Medal. And throughout the preliminary phase of the present season, he looked like the legitimate MVP frontrunner.

With so many accolades and strong performances for this squad in the rearview mirror, many would probably assume Davis’s job security with regards to his spot at the top of the franchise’s future personnel hierarchy. But can Jeanie Buss and the rest of the organization trust him to sit on the throne once his partner in crime LBJ inevitably hangs up the sneakers?

If you are a genuine NBA fan, there is no way you have never heard the song about Davis’s prolonged problem with the injury bug. Nobody is mistaking him as an iron man, and the slander surrounding his career-long inability to stay healthy is justified. However, it does appear that AD may be turning the corner when it comes to the health department. After suiting up in 76/82 games last year, he has been active for 34/36 contests this year. Another bullet point firmly featured in his case for front office entrustment is the extremely positive impact which his presence makes, as his 26.68 PER ranks 5th among qualifying candidates so far in 2024-2025.

Regardless of how many more seasons he believes he can play at a high level, it is only a matter of time before LeBron calls it quits. The 40-year-old freak of nature is still *somehow* playing at an elite level, going punch for punch in the everlasting fight with Father Time. But at the end of the day, we all know that FT has never lost a war against any of the other greats in spite of how many battles they may have won.

With James currently in the midst of his career twilight, it is nearly Anthony Davis’s time to shine. He has been the league’s best sidekick over the course of the past few seasons, but his transition from Robin to Batman is actively processing. Anyone debating his place among the top 10-15 players in the association should seek mental treatment, as we are dissecting arguably the game’s greatest player from a both ends of the floor perspective. His offensive bag runs DEEP, and his defensive dominance is deadly.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of the Brow, but anyone would be fortunate to holster his superior services in the frontcourt. The odds of the Lakers front office finding him a new home are slim to none, but they will have no problem finding another Batman to lead the team back to the promised land in the event that he cannot stay steady and, more importantly, healthy. We believe he has the dog in him to be ‘The Guy’ for this franchise looking down the path of uncertainty which we pronounce the future, but it is on him to prove his doubters dumb.

Keep going, AD!