“There’s a lot on the line for LeBron James” - Jay Williams says he understands why LeBron James sent a warning to everyone about 8x All-Star, says the best ability is availability
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James recently posted a video of Anthony Davis' best highlights on social media. He captioned the video with a warning to the rest of the NBA not to underestimate Davis' capabilities.
On ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," Jay Williams said King James is trying to make a case for AD despite his history of injuries. Williams also believes the Lakers will need Davis to perform at his best to win another championship, saying:
"I understand what LeBron James is doing. That's his teammate. There's a lot on the line for LeBron James, because they essentially worked to get AD to LA through Rich Paul through Klutch and their agency, the way he got him out of New Orleans. But I would push back against LeBron James and say, 'OK, the best ability is availability, right?'
"So, he hasn't shown us in the last several years to his ability to maximise himself on the court, because he's always injured."
LeBron James and the turmoil within the Lakers
The LA Lakers endured a tumultuous 33-49 campaign this season. While they have stumbled on the court, there have also been off-the-court rumblings regarding the personnel in power running the franchise. Things got so bad during the season that at point there were rumors of the Lakers trading both LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Through 37,000, LeBron James is now the youngest player to reach every round number milestone in pts:
1K, 2K, 3K, 4K, 5K, 6K, 7K, 8K, 9K, 10K, 11K, 12K, 13K, 14K, 15K, 16K, 17K, 18K, 19K, 20K, 21K, 22K, 23K, 24K, 25K, 26K, 27K, 28K, 29K, 30K, 31K, 32K, 33K, 34K, 35K, 36K, 37K https://t.co/esbAUuLoia
This season, Davis averaged 23.3 points and 9.8 rebounds on 53.2% shooting in 40 games. However, he shot just 19.2% from beyond the arc, and that is shockingly low for a guy who has shot 30.3% from the perimeter for his career.
James was reportedly unhappy throughout the season after general manager Rob Pelinka did not make any moves at the Feb. 10 trade deadline. James had pushed for the acquisition of Russell Westbrook, and that move backfired tremendously.
The Lakers loss to the Trail Blazers puts them 4 games under .500 for the 1st time under Frank Vogel.
Anthony Davis played 9:09 in the 4th, but didn't attempt a shot- FG or FT.
The last time AD played at least 5 mins in a 4th quarter without a shot attempt was Dec. 28, 2015 https://t.co/8Nv8lE4TEX
The Lakers front office has a decision to make regarding Davis' future as he missed 42 games this season. He played in 36 of 72 the previous season. He cannot be relied upon going forward because of his injury struggles. That concern is amplified because James will be 38 in December and has missed more and more time with injuries in the past four seasons.
Either way, with James voicing his support for AD and Darvin Ham being hired as the new coach, the Lakers are getting their house in order for next season.