The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to return to contention, and Anthony Davis will be an integral part of what the team will end up doing in the 2022-23 campaign. Lakers’ GM Rob Pelinka said Davis is having one of the best offseasons of his career.
“He’s bought in, and I think he’s quietly put together one of the biggest offseasons of his career,” Pelinka told ESPN (h/t Bleacher Report). “You can just tell. He’s got a very serious tone about him.
Last year didn’t unfold the way that any of us wanted, and I think everyone’s gonna come back with a chip on our shoulder, and A.D.’s gonna lead us with that. I think he’s working hard. I know he’s working really hard on his body.”
Coming off the franchise’s first NBA title in a decade in 2020, Davis and the Lakers were thriving during the 2020-21 campaign until the big man went down with an injury. Davis’ struggles to stay healthy led to the Lakers making a first-round playoff exit.
He only saw action in 40 games during the 2021-22 campaign in also an injury-filled season, which ended up with the Lakers out of the playoffs.Having a healthy Davis back in the lineup might be required for a return to contention.
The last time he was fully healthy in 2019-20, he averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.3 blocks in 62 games while shooting 50.3 percent from the floor and 33.0 percent from deep.
