Three thoughts on the injury to Lakers star Anthony Davis, who will reportedly miss around a month of time due to a foot injury …
1. Davis Deserves Better Than the Inevitable Criticism
You can write in ink that AD will catch heat for this foot injury. People will say they weren’t surprised. That he’s brittle. Charles Barkley will almost certainly call him “Street Clothes.” It’s a bummer, and it’s unfair to Davis, who has seemingly done everything in his power to stay on the floor this season. And more than that, Davis had returned to form after a hellish post-bubble stretch that had an unquantifiable impact on the players who made deep playoff runs. (Remember, Davis was healthy and dominant his first year in L.A. Then he had to play another season on fewer than 80 days rest. How do we know that hasn’t influenced everything that’s happened since?)
In any case, the real disappointment here is not being able to watch this version of Davis on the floor. AD was putting together one of the finest seasons of his career, averaging 27/12 on a career-best 59.3% shooting. He was controlling the paint on both ends of the court, and his offensive explosion was particularly impressive, as he excised outside shots and started putting more pressure on the rim. Every ounce of Davis’s effort was needed. The Lakers went 11–6 after a 3–10 start, largely because AD put the team on his back. He practically saved the season from being a complete embarrassment and even opened the door for the Lakers to get back in the playoff conversation. Hopefully the work he has put in will not go unrewarded. Which brings us to …
2. Can LeBron James Keep the Team Rolling?
In their first game post-AD, the Lakers eked out a win over the Wizards. LeBron went off for 33 points, with nine boards and seven assists. On one hand, Los Angeles needs all the wins it can get. On the other, squeaking by a team in free fall isn’t exactly encouraging. So far this season, the Lakers have posted a minus-2.7 net rating in minutes with James on the floor without Davis. In a rare trend for a LeBron team, the Lakers have been better in AD’s solo minutes than James’s.
There are a couple of reasons to be hopeful, though. Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant weren’t available earlier in the season, and they should provide at least some element of support for James. Max Christie is starting to earn Darvin Ham’s trust in the rotation. And Juan Toscano-Anderson should return during Davis’s absence. These aren’t sexy names, but the Lakers need all the help they can get. Which brings us to …
3. The Front Office Should Remain Aggressive
After the win over Washington, James was asked whether the Lakers will still be determined in dealing their tradeable first-round picks to upgrade the roster. James demurred, saying it was a question for the front office. Well, Rob Pelinka shouldn’t let this AD road bump stop him from making moves. It will be difficult for the Lakers to upgrade. And teams will be trying to extract a premium if they sense desperation. Still, James and Davis have shown this year they are still playing at a top-10 level. Even if Davis misses a month, that’s not an excuse to waste LeBron’s time. And there are teams starting to flounder that may be willing to enter the tank race. Are the Wizards really committed to keeping Kyle Kuzma? Wouldn’t Nikola Vučević and DeMar DeRozan make a ton of sense, especially with the Bulls hemorrhaging losses?
Pelinka and the front office may pause in the wake of the AD injury and wonder whether this season can be salvaged. I think the West remains open. And with teams like the Warriors and Timberwolves dealing with key injuries of their own, and with the Lakers still within striking distance of the fifth seed, I don’t believe the front office should sit on its hands. Don’t wait to see if this team can grind out wins without Davis. Go get some help so when he returns, the burden is lesser on all the stars.
