The good news for the Lakers right now is that they are closing in on a return from Anthony Davis. The way that this team has played over the last week or so, getting back a player of his caliber has to feel good, regardless of how it changes up Frank Vogel's lineup.
But Davis will still need to get back up to game speed after being out a month. And the expectation is that he will not return to the Lakers lineup until the end of the month at the earliest.
Davis also apparently needed some help maintaining his weight while out with the MCL sprain. On a recent episode of the Underdogs Podcast, Jared Dudley said that AD called him about some tips on losing weight ahead of his return.
I lose 20 pounds in-season, which is almost impossible to do that at the time for the Lakers, and I’m not even playing. It’s so funny, now AD has the same injury now and now he’s calling me ‘Hey, what did you do?’ Cause he saw me. ‘Jared’s in the weight room doing cardio an hour before practice. He’s sweating and now it’s practice time.’ And I don’t get to practice. It’s the top ten guys. But he sees me going crazy and now practice is over, now I’m in the weight room doing stuff for my knee.
Dudley sustained the same MCL injury last season with the Lakers, and he was able to lose 20 pounds while out. Now an assistant coach with the Mavericks, Dudley obviously had some things to say to AD about his rehab.
Sustaining weight is difficult enough, but when you add in an MCL sprain, things get really complicated. The Lakers do expect AD to come back as their starting center, at least according to Vogel. Even with the way LeBron James has played at the five, they want Davis there long-term.
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