Anthony Davis is ready to take the charge of the Lakers' offense after LeBron James challenged him to become the No. 1 option of the team.
The upcoming 2022-23 NBA season will bring a lot of challenges to the Los Angeles Lakers, who missed the play-in tournament last campaign after looking like championship favorites in the offseason. They couldn't click and were heavily criticized by their fans for their performances.
Now, the Lakers are ready to contend and show that last season was just a fluke. They still have Russell Westbrook on the roster, but also LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Frank Vogel was fired, Darvin Ham was signed, and the Lakers signed and traded a series of players expected to help them reach the next level.
However, one of the biggest questions entering this season is who will take the burden of leading the team night in and night out. Many think that 37-year-old LeBron James is once again doing the biggest effort to lead his team, but James has different plans.
Anthony Davis Says LeBron James Has Asked Him To Be The Lakers' No. 1 Option Next Season
During a recent conversation with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Anthony Davis revealed the plans for him ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season. AD is really excited to show what's new for the Lakers and make it clear that this team is ready to make a splash following a terrible season.
"I’m so excited that I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about this year,” Davis told Yahoo Sports this week. “I’m looking forward to a healthy year and doing what I know we can do.”
According to Haynes, Davis will be used as the go-to guy this season. They couldn't enjoy the Brow last season, which also hurt their chances to make the playoff. Now, he's ready to turn things around and show that he's not washed.
Head coach Darvin Ham will look to utilize the eight-time All-Star as the No. 1 offensive option to aid in minimizing the workload of four-time MVP LeBron James, who is entering his 20th season.
Davis said James, 37, has been in his ear about taking over the reins of the team, while the rest of the roster would follow his lead.
Davis knows he has a big responsibility with his teammates, but he's not running away from the grind.
“All I can do is lead by my actions,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “I’m excited for this challenge and what’s ahead. I think we have a great group of guys to get the job done. It’s now about putting in the work.”
AD has stated in recent hours that the Lakers are the underdog this season. This could help them play with less pressure than other teams, but this is the biggest franchise in the NBA, and it's hard for them to be measured with different standards when they have three future Hall of Famers on the roster.
This one will be a tough season for the Purple and Gold, but it seems like they're confident that things can be different.
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