Anthony Davis doesn't hold back about Lakers' future after playoff exit

After the Los Angeles Lakers got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Davis talked about the future of the team entering the NBA offseason.

The eight-time All-Star told reporters that the Lakers “are definitely trending in the right direction.”

“Yeah, I mean, like I said, coming off a season of not making it to the playoffs, and then come back when didn’t really have a chance and making it to the Western Conference Finals, we are definitely trending in the right direction,” Davis said. “Like I said, we don’t know what the roster looks like next year, but I think the guys that came in in the second half of the season played well for us and also helped us into this situation.”

The Lakers began the season 2-10. They acquired Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba during the season and turned things around. Los Angeles recorded the best record in the Western Conference after the trade deadline.

“The guys that were here before just kept fighting through all the adversity that we had starting with the slow start everything and like that,” Davis said. “So you know, we are trending in the right direction.”

The Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 7-8 play-in game to clinch the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The purple and gold then defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and the Golden State Warriors in the second round before meeting their match with the Nuggets.

“Obviously, the goal is to win championships, and we wanted to be not just knocking on the door but actually get it done, walk through the door,” Davis said. “So that’s our goal. That’s our goal every time we step on the floor for training camp, and I’m a hundred percent sure that will be the goal next year.”

LeBron James could retire from the NBA this summer, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. If that happens, the Lakers will look very different next season.