Anthony Davis will be under heavy scrutiny in 2022-23 after two disappointing seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers — even if he wasn’t solely to blame for a dip in form following an All-NBA performance in his first season with the team.
In 2020-21, Davis was nowhere near the level he reached in the 2020 championship campaign. But last year, the eight-time All-Star played well when he was on the floor — he just wasn’t on the floor often.
For the first time in his career, Davis missed more than half of regular-season games, making just 40 appearances in 2021-22. Still, the 29-year-old says his offseason routine didn’t differ much from what he had done in previous summers.
“I did, honestly, the exact same thing as last season,” Davis said on Monday during L.A.’s Media Day.
“[In 2021-22], I had two injuries that I couldn’t really control. I got fell into my knee, landed on the foot — and the good thing for me is that the doctors that looked at it said it could have been 10 times worse if I haven’t done what I’ve done in the summer. Reassuring, right there.
“But, for the most part, I continue to do the same thing, had a little bit more time — two extra months, because we didn’t make the playoffs — to really let my body rest and heal, and then get after it. So, a normal summer for me.”
Interestingly, Davis did seem to have put in some extra reps in the gym, working on his jumper with shooting coach Lethal Shooter. The coach, real name Chris Matthews, said the two would get in the gym as early as at 4:50 a.m. every morning — with the forward knocking down hundreds of free throws as part of the training routine.
Davis has struggled to shoot the ball well over the last couple of years. Last season, he made just 18.6% of his 3-pointers and recorded a career-low 71.3% from the free throw line.
Nunn cleared for all practice activities after missing all of 2021-22
Kendrick Nunn was the most unlucky player on the Lakers roster when it came to health, missing the entire season with a bone bruise in his knee. Earlier in the summer, reports claimed Nunn’s ramp-up was still slower than expected.
However, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said on Monday that the 27-year-old has been fully cleared to take part in all activities.
However, Troy Brown Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV will start training camp by doing non-contact drills only, struggling with back and ankle issues, respectively.
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