SUMMARY
- Anthony Davis is the only player in the league to earn All-NBA and All-Defense selections.
- Lakers fans appreciate the effort he put into the game this season.
It was an incredibly tough season for the Los Angeles Lakers. They faced an array of challenges throughout the regular season and then got eliminated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. With the amount of talent this Lakers team currently has, they need to pay a lot of attention to Anthony Davis and build a tighter and more complete roster around him.
The 2023-24 campaign was Davis’ best stint with the Lakers. He appeared for 76 games, which is the most games he’s played in a single season since being drafted in 2012. He averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. Unfortunately, Davis wasn’t able to fulfill his dream of becoming a defensive player of the year. He finished fourth in the DPOY race this season. But there were some upsides to his run this year.
Fans applaud Anthony Davis for a great 2023-24 season
Anthony Davis was named All-Defense First Team for the third time in his career. He was also given All-NBA Second Team honors as well. He was the only player this season to make both teams. This is certainly something Davis should use to motivate himself to get better and dominate next season, especially with the changes the Lakers are about to experience very soon.
Underappreciated. Great year for AD.
— Witty (@WittyCollector) May 23, 2024
76 games this szn. Was a fantastic year for him. Soft = Dead narrative
— The Ball Post (@TheBallPost) May 23, 2024
Fans reacted to this milestone saying, “Underappreciated. Great year for AD.” Another X user added, “76 games this szn. Was a fantastic year for him. Soft = Dead narrative.” Davis certainly shut down a lot of critics who questioned his worth throughout the year. The 30-year-old superstar, who is currently in his prime was severely injury-prone over the last few years. But this season was the complete opposite of what we witnessed before.
The Lakers still have hope with LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the forefront
LeBron James and Anthony Davis were the only consistent stars on the Lakers’ roster this year. Davis has one more season left with the Lakers before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. James is yet to accept his player option worth $51.4 million. He is expected to make a final decision by the end of June.
But the Lakers need to realize they should make better moves and change certain pieces on the roster. James will not be in the league for much longer and they have to make sure they build a strong enough roster to support AD for when the 20x NBA All-Star decides to retire. If they do make changes this season and improve their defensive set, the Lakers will have a good chance of hitting the top seeds in the West.