Ever since Anthony Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers four years ago, they’ve been looking to shift the scoring load onto him and make him the team’s No. 1 offensive option.
While that happens from time to time, it hasn’t quite happened yet, in part because Davis gets injured every year.
But many have accused the superstar big man of being inconsistent, lazy and unmotivated, though that criticism is clearly exaggerated.
Former NBA great and current Turner Sports personality Charles Barkley is one of Davis’ biggest critics. He calls Davis “streetwear” because of his frequent injuries, and he recently said LeBron James should try a new tactic to energize the Lakers power forward/center.
By Backward World:
“At some point, LeBron is going to have to say ‘AD…damn…I’m 100 years old. It’s your time to be the best player you can be.’ “You’re in your prime.”
Davis played brilliantly in the 2022-23 season, averaging 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3% from the field. His rebounds per game and field goal percentage both hit career highs.
The good news for Davis and the 38-year-old James on the Lakers roster is that they now have plenty of offensive firepower, which means they will likely be able to withstand Davis’ occasional poor offensive performance.
Story originally appeared on LeBron Wire