(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers are set up to compete for a title in the 2023-24 NBA season as they’ve got the stars and role players to make another run.
The Lakers turned around their 2022-23 campaign by trading Russell Westbrook for several role players that fit better around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Los Angeles managed to make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals and are poised to build on that success with the current group they’ve assembled.
While James is coming back for Year 21, the Lakers’ hopes of another title rest with Davis who has slowly started to transition into the team’s number one option.
Davis looked more comfortable assuming a leadership role on the roster and is expected to assume more responsibility this year in order to ease the load off of James.
In fact, former players like Charles Barkley believe it’s time for James to tell Davis that he has to be the franchise’s pillar now via The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“At some point LeBron gonna have to say, ‘AD… Damn… I’m 100 years old. It’s about time for you to be the best player,’” Barkley. said.
Charles Barkley:
“At some point LeBron gonna have to say, ‘AD… Damn… I’m 100 years old. It’s about time for you to be the best player.’”
(via @BillSimmons) pic.twitter.com/h5t3M97671
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 16, 2023
The Lakers have already made it known that they plan to build around Davis long-term once James retires as they handed the star big man a lucrative extension this past August.
Davis has emphasized he loves playing for the organization and wants to win wearing purple and gold, so this upcoming year will go a long way in proving that he can handle such expectations.
During the postseason, Davis routinely looked like the best player on the floor and the Lakers will need that version of him if they hope to win it all this year.
The post Charles Barkley Sends A Message To LeBron James, Anthony Davis appeared first on The Cold Wire.
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