"Everything that this franchise could ever want": LeBron James places Anthony Davis among Lakers' greatest bigs ever
LeBron James has showered high praise on Anthony Davis, hailing him as one of the greatest big men in the storied history of the LA Lakers. The Lakers paired James with Davis in 2019, and have played together in four seasons since.
In an interview with reporters ahead of the Lakers' regular season kickoff on Oct. 24, James commended Anthony Davis, referring to him as his "co-captain."
“AD's great, man. AD's amazing… We're both co-captains, and he's just as much of a leader of this ballclub as I am,” James said.
James has played 144 games with Davis for the Lakers. In those games, he averaged 25.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.8 rebounds, while Davis averaged 24.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 blocks.
“He’s everything that this franchise could ever want and more; he’s one of the greatest bigs to play for this franchise for sure,” James added.
Davis solidified his status as a Lakers legend by clinching the 2020 championship alongside James.
This offseason, the Lakers signed Davis to a contract extension worth $186 million over three years, stretching through the 2027-28 season.
Looking at the roster the Lakers assembled for LeBron James and Anthony Davis
LeBron James and Anthony Davis will spearhead the Lakers' pursuit of a championship this season alongside a revamped starting lineup featuring D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Taurean Prince.
During this offseason, the Lakers saw a major roster shakeup with several departures, including Dennis Schroder, who joined the Raptors, Lonnie Walker IV, who signed with the Nets and Malik Beasley, who found a new home with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Last season, a post-trade deadline turnaround saw the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals.
To bolster their bid this season, they committed to a backcourt of Russell and Reaves. They also made substantial additions, including Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes to fortify the frontcourt depth.
They secured Rui Hachimura's return and brought Prince to bolster the wing position and add size. They also signed Gabe Vincent to provide added firepower in the backcourt.
Ultimately, the Lakers' aspirations for another championship hinge primarily on James and Davis. Nevertheless, Lakers fans should be happy to witness Rob Pelinka's proactive efforts in constructing a competitive team around their two cornerstones.