The 2019-2020 NBA season is right around the corner and the Los Angeles Lakers are projected to be championship contenders after missing out on the 2019 NBA playoffs.
While signing LeBron James in 2018 NBA free agency was nothing short of a major win, even he could not bring a young and inexperienced roster to the playoffs. However, this time around, James will have a lot more help in the form of Anthony Davis.
Davis, who was traded to the Lakers after a lengthy and controversial saga, figures to be the next big man to help lead Los Angeles back to the 2020 NBA Finals and should find success playing next to James.
However, making sure Davis is healthy is the No. 1 priority for Los Angeles and it appears he is just that heading into Year 1, according to Peter Flax of Redbull:
“I’m 100 percent healthy and I feel fine,” Davis says. “I feel very confident in myself.”
With load management becoming a popular method of preserving players in today’s league, Davis also mentioned he is training to prepare for situations that might compromise his body:
“I’m trying to maximize my strength in these awkward positions,” he says. “That way, when I’m in those positions with a lot of load or someone is pushing me, my body and my ligaments and tendons can handle it.”
Davis has yet to play an entire 82-game season during his career due to various injuries to multiple parts of his body, so it is encouraging to hear him speak about the steps he is taking to ensure that he is physically ready for his first season with the Lakers.
The Lakers have already taken other measures to ensure that Davis is taken care of as they re-signed JaVale McGee and also brought in Dwight Howard to play center to ease his burden of having to bang with other big men during the regular season.
Davis has already gone on the record and said he prefers to play power forward and this will enable him to stay there unless a matchup dictates the Lakers to play smaller with him at center.
With Davis, James, and solid role players on the roster, the Lakers have legitimate championship aspirations once again. Assuming good health throughout the season, Los Angeles should absolutely be considered a threat for the 2020 NBA Finals and it will be interesting to see how fast the team can gel and grow together.