"Great opportunity for AD to now take the reins" - Vince Carter asserts Anthony Davis to take charge of Lakers to become the face of franchise
Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers are starting to show signs of life. After a disappointing start to the 2022-23 season, the Lakers are quietly putting together strong stretches of play.
One of the reasons for the recent turnaround has been the play of Anthony Davis. Throughout his 10-year career, Davis has been one of the most talented two-way forwards in the NBA. Since joining the Lakers in 2019, the hope was that Davis would eventually take over as the franchise's superstar.
With LeBron James participating in his 20th NBA season, it would make the timing perfect for Davis to take over. That's the hope of the LA Lakers organization and it has been since they acquired Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans.
Davis has been sensational for the Lakers as of late. In his last six games, he's gone on to average 32.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game. NBA veteran and current analyst Vince Carter went on to praise Anthony Davis on an episode of "The VC Show." Carter said he believes this is a great opportunity for AD to now take the reins from LeBron James.
"I think this is a great opportunity for AD to now take the reins as LeBron has been saying and wanting to do in the organization for so long. The time is now. And if they're able to do that, then you. I think my opinion, I think the organization, I have again a better assessment of what they really need.
Yes, they need shooters, I get it. But then you'll see what else they can find to complement an Anthony Davis led team with LeBron James."
LA Lakers superstar Anthony Davis starting to thrive
The LA Lakers found themselves at 0-5 to start the 2022-23 season. Things looked even more troubling for the team when superstar LeBron James found himself sidelined for a five-game stretch.
But that's when Davis started playing some of his best basketball as a part of the Lakers organization. There's still plenty of work left to be done for both Davis and the Lakers. LA currently finds itself at 7-12 on the season after Monday night's loss to the Indiana Pacers.
37 PTS
21 REB
5 STL
5 BLK
Anthony Davis was unbelievable tonight, posting his FOURTH 30+ point and 15+ rebound game in a row.
He becomes only the second Laker in history to record 35+ PTS, 20+ REB, and 5+ BLK in a game, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5 times). https://t.co/BFZULyfR81
Their upcoming stretch will be a challenging one. The Lakers are set to take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night before hitting the road for a six-game road trip. It will feature matchups against contending teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers to mention a few.
If the Lakers are going to have any chance of climbing the standings in the Western Conference, they are going to need their superstars. That means that Anthony Davis will need to keep playing at this type of level. If Davis can stay healthy, the Lakers might just have enough to make some noise in the West.