Lakers star Anthony Davis recently publicly stated that we would appreciate the team adding depth at the center position. His reasoning was so he could revert back to a power forward, similar to the Lakers 2020 title run. Davis’ wishes hold some validity since the Lakers won their only championship in the AD era when surrounding him with serviceable center play. However, the sentiment isn’t consensus-shared within NBA circles. Instead, NBA insider David Dennis Jr. demands Davis to step up amidst his recent request.
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Following the Lakers’ recent 118-108 win over the Warriors, Dennis joined ESPN’s SportsCenter to share his opinion on LA. He didn’t hesitate in criticizing the five-time All-NBA member. Dennis implored AD to maintain this level of play, holding him to an All-NBA level. He said,
“I want to see Anthony Davis be dominant, be one of the best big men in the league. Get that Anthony Davis that we saw last night that dominated the Warriors on both sides of the court. I want that Anthony Davis to stop telling me about how he needs a center. Stop talking about what you need on that roster and just go out there and dominate.”
Dennis referenced Davis’ performance against the Warriors, in which he wreaked havoc on their defense. The 6-foot-10 big man finished with 36 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on 56.5% shooting from the field. He displayed shades of his stellar start to the season showcasing that at his peak there is no answer to stopping him.
As a result, Dennis believes that as long as Davis continues to dominate in this manner, there won’t be any need for another big man. He wants the nine-time All-Star to focus on maximizing his talent and stop complaining to the media. However, a large reason why Dennis is so critical of AD is because he has lofty expectations of him.
Davis is crucial to the Lakers’ success
The Lakers’ success in the postseason is contingent on the version of Davis they receive. LeBron James is 4o years old and needs another star player to defer to. However, throughout their tenure as teammates, Davis has yet to grab the torch from James as the team’s best player. Dennis implores Davis that now is the time.
“You could add all the marginal pieces that you want around this team but the real part to championship contention is Anthony Davis being a top-five player in the NBA,” Dennis said.
Although the Lakers could add more depth at the center position, if Davis isn’t playing to his peak ability it won’t matter according to Dennis. There are still plenty of variables left for the Lakers to become a championship contender but the most important relies on Davis. If he continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, the Lakers can be dangerous.
