The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t seen Anthony Davis take the floor since he suffered a right calf strain on Valentine’s Day, and it appears Los Angeles will have to wait even further for his return.
During his rehab process, Davis has worked on strengthening his leg and recently began light shooting.
As the Lakers continue to proceed with caution, Davis was said to be re-evaluated in another two weeks after an evaluation Friday against the Indiana Pacers. That doesn’t mean Davis will return in two weeks as he’ll go through another evaluation process to determine the next steps.
However, the situation is precarious, and Davis may reportedly miss more time once he is re-evaluated, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports:
The Los Angeles Lakers announced last Friday that the eight-time All-Star would be examined in two weeks to check the progress of his tendinosis and his right calf strain.
However, sources informed Yahoo Sports that Davis could be sidelined for the next three weeks and possibly beyond. The Lakers will be overly cautious in their approach to working Davis back even at the cost of slipping in the standings, which has occurred.
If the three-week absence is firm, Davis wouldn’t return to action until the slate of games in the first weekend of April, which includes divisional contests against the Sacramento Kings on the road and the Los Angeles Clippers. After that, the Lakers embark on a five-game road trip against several Eastern Conference opponents.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel commented on the report although would not confirm that it will be three weeks.
“He’s still just doing light work,” Vogel said before Monday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors. “He’s beginning to ramp up and he’s going to be re-evaluated in two weeks from whenever that announcement day was a couple days ago. Nothing has changed from that standpoint.”
Davis hasn’t looked at his best compared to his production from previous years, but he’s still putting up solid numbers. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.8 blocks — dominant numbers all across the board.
Davis is also shooting 53.3% from the field, his best rate since the 2017-18 season when he played for the New Orleans Pelicans and shot 53.4%, an extremely close difference.
Lakers viewed as top suitor for Andre Drummond
Even with a healthy Davis, the frontcourt depth surrounding him has left a lot to be desired. Marc Gasol’s mobility has declined, and his 3-point consistency is perplexing; Montrezl Harrell is a solid backup, but he’s flawed on the defensive end; Damian Jones has the ability to fill the lob threat hole, but he’s still raw.
The Lakers have been linked to several potential big men, and one of them is Andre Drummond, for who L.A. is reported to be a top suitor.
Drummond could carve out a strong role for himself as he’s able to score and rebound in bunches, but he’s never helped a team actually win games. Playing for a team with improved talent, like the Lakers, could alter the discourse around him and supply L.A. with the center they’re desperately browsing for.
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