Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers made the blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire superstar forward Anthony Davis, the team has thrust itself back into the title-contending conversation in the Western Conference with one title already won in the NBA bubble.
However, Davis has struggled to stay healthy every year he’s been with the Lakers, outside of his first season with the team where they went on to win the title.
Last season, Davis missed a considerable amount of time, with 26 games missed due to injury.
When Davis was healthy during the 2022-23 campaign, the veteran forward/center was playing at a very high level and actually got some MVP buzz.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss believes that when Davis was healthy and on the floor last season, he was arguably the best player in the league, via The Athletic and NBACentral.
“There’s an argument to be made that he [Anthony Davis] was the best player in the NBA when he was playing.”
– Jeanie Buss on Anthony Davis’ 2022-23 season
(Via @TheAthletic ) pic.twitter.com/66SKHhVPR8
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 20, 2023
Davis averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game last season, which was his best output since the 2019-20 season.
This summer, the Lakers rewarded Davis for his play last season with a three-year contract extension, making him a very wealthy man and the player the team will be building around moving forward.
The Lakers hope that Davis can keep playing like an MVP candidate next season while the team potentially contends for a title.
The Western Conference will be stacked with talented teams once again, but the Lakers seem prepared for what will be an interesting 2023-24 campaign.
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