The Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest move of the offseason came long before free agency started and that’s when they traded Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and multiple draft picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis.
There’s no doubting what Davis brings to the table as a basketball player. On a bad day, Davis is a top-seven player in the league and on his best day, he might top the list. At just 26-years-old and entering his eighth season in the league, Davis has almost too many accolades to list and he knows exactly how good he is.
Davis firmly — and possibly with good evidence — believes he is ‘the best in the world’ and it’s that confidence coupled with the other best player in the world LeBron James that may lead the Lakers to the 2020 NBA Finals, according Alaa Abdeldaiem of Sports Illustrated:
“I’m the best in the world. I think I do a lot of things that a lot of players can’t do as far as playing a complete game. I can play on the block, play on the perimeter, play defense on both ends, switch 1-5, guard, score the basketball. I want to be the most dominant player in the game, and I’m going to continue to do that.”
Davis also said that he’s aware there are other phenomenal players in the league and ones that likely feel the same way he does about their own abilities, but that that’s what makes the NBA so much fun:
“Obviously you have players like Kawhi, KD, LeBron, Steph all of those guys who are the same way. They’re great players, talented players, Hall of Famers, and that’s what makes our game fun. Everyone wants to be the best in the league. Everyone wants to be the most dominant, and that’s when our competitive edge comes out on the floor and makes the game so fun to watch.”
The Lakers having two of the best players in the world will absolutely make them fun to watch and an immediate championships contender. But with James being 34-years-old and possibly having to change up his game a little bit, it’s possible that Davis could become the No. 1 option on this team for the 2019-20 NBA season.
Having James as a team’s No. 2 option sounds scary, and it’s part of why the Lakers felt comfortable giving up a ton of assets to trade for Davis.