Lakers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Anthony Davis

The 2024-2025 season will mark Anthony Davis’ 6th year with the Purple and Gold as he continues to chase a second ring with the Lakers. The first five years of AD’s Laker career featured a championship, three All-Star appearances, two All-Defensive teams, and two All-NBA teams. 

Despite this high volume of success, Davis is still hungry for more. With JJ Redick now at the helm and wanting to make Davis the “hub” of the team’s offense, this season can be AD’s best offensive season yet while still being a Defensive Player of the Year caliber player. 

vision. pic.twitter.com/lGkZHUC9PN

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 7, 2024

Expanded Offensive Role  

Redick made it very clear after being hired that he wants Davis to be an even bigger focal point of the offense. Redick says he envisions Davis as the offensive focal point at center like Nikola Jokic with the Denver Nuggets and Joel Embiid with the Philadelphia 76ers.

This means more touches for Davis on the offensive end and more opportunities. Davis could thrive as the number one scoring option and improve as a playmaker.

This role would come with heavy responsibility. Davis would have to work through some woes we have seen in the past with passing and getting out of double teams cleanly. The potential is sky-high, and he could win MVP votes if executed correctly. 

Shooting jumpers and threes is also something Davis is expected to do more of. Davis’ three point attempts were as low the last two seasons as they have been since his rookie and sophomore campaigns. In addition, his three-point percentage has been below 30 percent since his first season with the Lakers. 

Davis hitting the occasional open three would force defenders to respect his shot and open up the offense. Redick has told Davis he wants him to shoot more shots from beyond the arc. With that in mind, it’s reasonable to expect Davis to be putting up at least 2-3 or more threes per game to start the season.

— Anthony Davis on his defense and the Lakers defense.#LakeShow

“I just try to do whatever to help the team win. If it’s guard the 1-5 play the 1-5. I don’t try to, especially defensively, rely on other guys. I take too much pride on defense. Nobody should get around me.…

— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) September 30, 2024

Chasing the DPOY Award 

However good Anthony Davis has been on offense, he has always been better on defense. Last season, Davis earned a spot on the All-Defensive first team and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

This made him the only player to make both an All-Defense and All-NBA team in the 2023-2024 season.

Despite this, Davis was still disappointed not to be a top three finalist for the DPOY award. While many of his numbers were up there with the winner of the award, Rudy Gobert, he didn’t win the award.

Davis has been hunting down the DPOY award his whole career and could have won it multiple times, especially in 2020. 

A big reason he was unable to win it last year was the poor team defense stats. If LA can improve defensively on the perimeter, which should come with the return of players from injury, such as Jarred Vanderbilt, the team’s ranks could be high enough for Davis to win the award.

Anthony Davis on how he feels coming into training camp off his summer with Team USA: “I feel good. Felt great all summer, obviously in the Olympics.”

For the team, he said: “Health will be the biggest thing for us.” He cited Vanderbilt and Vincent being hurt last year.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 30, 2024

Staying Healthy 

The one contingency with all of this is AD staying healthy. Davis played the most games in a season in his career, appearing in 76 contests and five games in the playoffs.

The likelihood of injury should be lessened, with Davis likely already in mid-season shape thanks to his time with Team USA at the Olympics.

In fact, the Lakers leader in games played last season, Austin Reaves, played all 82 after a summer full of Team USA basketball. In a perfect world, AD will be able to replicate that high level of sustained health and play 70+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018. 

ANTHONY DAVIS IS BACK 😈 pic.twitter.com/SFGJ3lG35r

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) October 7, 2024

Final Expectations 

If all of these things go right for Davis, we could be looking at a monster season from the Brow. With the Chicago native expected to spend more time with the ball, it is certainly possible that we see Davis reach the 25+ PPG mark again, and have a career year in the assist department.

This, combined with his typical double-digit rebounding totals and 3+ STOCKS average, could benefit the Lakers as they look to have a better regular season than past years and hopefully get Davis his well-deserved DPOY honor.