The Los Angeles Lakers may have dropped their second preseason game to the Phoenix Suns, but the team had to be thrilled with what it saw from Anthony Davis.
Davis suited up for the first time this preseason and looked like he didn’t miss a beat from last season, dominating both ends of the court in just one half. Davis played 18 minutes and recorded 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and one steal.
It was quite the two-way performance from Davis who helped the Lakers take a double-digit lead at halftime. While it would have been great for Los Angeles to hold onto their lead and win the game, they at least got confirmation that Davis is more than ready for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Head coach JJ Redick experimented with a two-big lineup consisting of Jaxson Hayes and Davis and he explained what he liked out of the look.
“It’s definitely something we could use in our rotation,” Redick said. “What I really like is having AD at the four and him being able to be in that switching group while still having some size at the five with Jaxson. That part of it I like a lot.”
Davis has pleaded for years to let him go back to playing the four as he believes it’s his more natural position, and it might be something Redick considers using more given the results. Hayes is typically not that great as the lone big man on the floor, but paired with someone like Davis he’s able to better protect the rim.
On the flip side, having someone like Hayes to protect the paint allows Davis to play a free safety-like role on the floor where he can roam around and cause havoc for opposing teams. Offensively, it does push Davis more towards the perimeter though it hasn’t hindered the team much in the past.
For now, it’s fair to expect that Davis will still spend most of his time playing center but at least it’s encouraging to hear Redick be open to the idea of playing another center alongside him.
Anthony Davis comfortable in offensive role under JJ Redick
As LeBron James gets older, Los Angeles has tried to elevate Davis more on the offensive end. Redick talked about wanting to use Davis as more of a playmaking hub and focal point, and it star big man said he’s comfortable in that role for the Lakers.
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