Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers: "We are on the right track, but we lack a center"
The star of the Los Angeles team, which defeated the Boston Celtics yesterday, believes that another move is still needed before the NBA trade deadline
Anthony Davis is convinced that the Los Angeles Lakers are just a couple of reinforcements away from becoming true title contenders before the NBA trade deadline. Among the most urgent needs he identifies, Davis believes that the team should add a center before the February 6 deadline.
"I think we need another big," Davis told ESPN's Shams Charania this week. "I feel like I've always been at my best playing as a power forward, with a center on the court."
Both Davis and LeBron James have expressed their desire for the franchise to make strategic moves to compete for the championship, as reported by Charania. The Lakers, who currently hold a record of 24-18 after a convincing 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics, are just 1.5 games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks, who sit seventh in the standings and are fighting to secure a playoff spot. James emphasized after Sunday's loss to the LA Clippers that the team has no margin for error with the current roster.
"We have to play perfect basketball," James stated after the defeat.
The Lakers won the championship in 2020 with what Davis described as the "perfect construction" of a team. According to Davis, that success was due to the combination of good shooters, solid defenders, and a strong presence in the paint, allowing him to play in what he considers his natural position as a power forward.
"We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale [McGee] and Dwight [Howard] as centers, and me as a power forward," explained Davis.
So far this season, Davis leads the Lakers with averages of 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, figures comparable to the 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds he recorded during the title-winning season in 2020. However, the team has only had significant minutes from a true center: Jaxson Hayes, who averages 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 20 games. Davis hopes the team takes action on this in the coming weeks.
"We feel like we're very close, you know? As a team and in all aspects," Davis told Charania. "[James] and I are very, very motivated to win another championship."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Anthony Davis, sobre Los Angeles Lakers: "Vamos por el buen camino, pero nos falta un pívot"
