Anthony Davis has taken the mantle as the face of the franchise for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 season as head coach JJ Redick envisioned when he took the job this past offseason.
Redick noted he wanted to make Davis the focal point of what the Lakers do on both ends of the floor, and he’s done that as the star big man has assumed more responsibility overall. Thanks to Davis, Los Angeles currently sits in fifth in the Western Conference midway through the regular season though there’s still an opportunity to move up a couple of spots assuming the team can string together more wins.
Unfortunately, the Lakers were dealt a huge blow when Davis suffered an abdominal injury in the loss against the Washington Wizards. Davis didn’t return after the first quarter and it was later announced that he would be re-evaluated in one week.
While Davis is set to miss at least the next week of games, Redick said he and the team don’t expect him to miss extensive time, via Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group:
JJ Redick says the team doesn't anticipate Anthony Davis being sidelined for long. Hopes he'll be back on the floor next week.
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) January 30, 2025
It’s encouraging to hear Redick say that he hopes Davis returns next week as abdominal strains can linger longer than some might expect. It sounds like Davis will only miss a few games, though he’ll still need to clear the team evaluation once the time comes.
Without Davis, the need for a true center becomes even more apparent as the trade deadline approaches. Davis’ injury reportedly doesn’t change the front office’s approach to the deadline, though they’ve been linked heavily to several big men on the market.
Whether or not Los Angeles pulls the trigger on a deal is anyone’s guess, but in the meantime Jaxson Hayes is expected to start while LeBron James and Rui Hachimura are likely to see some extra minutes at center. The team could also turn to two-way players like Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III to fill the void, though they would be backups off the bench.
Anthony Davis named reserve for 2025 NBA All-Star Game
Anthony Davis has arguably been the best two-way big in the league this season and for his efforts he was named a reserve for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The Lakers star is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals this season.
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