2023-07-08 10:23:00
Repositioned full-time pivot last season, Anthony Davis might well return to his position as a strong winger next season. In a broadcast for ESPNthe Lakers GM opened the door to the idea of seeing AD play more in 4.
Anthony Davis and the position of pivot, it’s a story as old as the world. Observers have always insisted that the player is cut out to play in 5, even more than his basic position as a strong winger. The player, he has never been a big fan of the idea of playing center. It is however in this position that he had a big season in 2022-23, with in particular a titanic end to the calendar year where he seemed to be the best pivot in the League.
Given the Lakers’ current offseason, we imagined the format to continue, with Davis as a pivotal starter and potentially Jaxson Hayes (or another future rookie) as a back-up. It is however not sure according to the last declarations of Rob Pelinka. The General Manager of the franchise opened up to ESPN regarding using AD next season and obviously he has a model in mind.
Full quotes from Rob Pelinka regarding LeBron’s retirement and the additions of Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish during his appearance on the ESPN broadcast of Lakers vs. Warriors tonight. pic.twitter.com/c37PfUnylN
— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) July 8, 2023
“Darvin Ham and I spoke to Anthony Davis regarding the idea of going back to the pattern we had in 2020 when we won the title, with guys like Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee playing alongside AD in the racket. And we identified early on in the free agent recruiting process that Jaxson is that type of player.”
“He’s big, he’s a circle protector, he plays with a lot of energy and he’s also a really good screener, so when you have point guards like D’Angelo Russell who play a lot of pick- and-roll, same for Austin Reaves, we thought Jaxson would fit those guys well with the way he plays.”
We can therefore understand in this statement that Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka imagine a Davis-Hayes racket at the start of the school year. What potentially save some energy in the duels for AD but remains to be seen if this duo can really be complementary on both sides of the field. If the trend is confirmed, it will also be necessary to think of signing another big man to serve as Hayes’ understudy because the roster does not overflow with interiors at the moment T.
Obviously, the 2020 model, which helped the Lakers win the title thanks to a very high level defense, remains an example to follow, but not sure whether Hayes has the same qualities that Howard or McGee might bring to this role. Not to mention, the Lakers perimeter defense was also on another level with guys like Alex Caruso or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Something other than D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves. Take inspiration from a season full of success to build yes, but you still need the tools to reproduce the same pattern.
Source texte : ESPN via Harrison Faigen
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