Since Anthony Davis joined LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, the superstar combo has experienced a roller coaster journey. Granted, they won a title in their first season together, which masks some of the flaws.
Davis and James have established themselves to be one of the top duos in the league, therefore their troubles are not their fault. However, injuries and front office incompetence have hampered their hopes of winning additional championships together.
After being defeated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets last season, Los Angeles is seeking to make the necessary adjustments to get back into contention. While roster changes are necessary, Davis believes responsibility is a critical step towards winning a title again, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic:
“The goal at the end of the day is still to win championships,” Davis told reporters. “You cannot skip steps. The first step is to hold guys accountable. We’re going to show up to work, and if anything goes wrong, we’re going to hold people accountable, and then we’ll figure it out.”
Since free agency began, general manager Rob Pelinka has made no roster moves. It seems more likely that the current Lakers lineup will be intact on opening night, but it makes no difference who wears the purple and gold if players are not held accountable.
Nonetheless, Davis is displaying the leadership traits that front office executives seek as James nears the end of his career. Davis’s job as a vocal leader will increase this season, and he appears to be prepared for the challenge.
While fighting for a title will be a difficult task for the Lakers because Western Conference opponents have improved their rosters this summer while L.A. has not, the team always has a chance when Davis and James are healthy, which will be the case once more.
Austin Rivers’ thoughts on the Lakers after witnessing LeBron James and Anthony Davis
One disadvantage of the Lakers’ failure to improve at the margins is that both LeBron James and Anthony Davis played extra minutes this summer while representing the United States in the Olympics. If one or both of them lose significant amounts of time during the Lakers’ season, staying afloat may become difficult.
After watching L.A.’s two studs play for Team USA, Austin Rivers believes the Lakers aren’t too far away from being title contenders. While it’s difficult to disagree with that viewpoint, it also emphasises the importance of the Lakers providing their stars with the assistance they require to compete effectively.
