Lakers star big man Anthony Davis is aiming to return to action this weekend, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Davis has been shelved since spraining his right foot and MCL on February 16. He has missed 37 games for Los Angeles all told this season, including the past 17. The 6’10” big man has produced at a typically high clip this year when healthy, but his shooting numbers and defense have dipped. He is averaging 23.1 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.3 BPG and 1.2 SPG through his 37 healthy contests.
Sporting a 31-44 record, the Lakers currently occupy the Western Conference’s 11th seed. The team owns a record identical to that of the tenth-seeded Spurs, but the Spurs sport a better intra-conference record. Even with Davis back in the fold this weekend, an extended absence for LeBron James could doom the depth-challenged team’s play-in tournament odds.
The rest of L.A.’s schedule will not get much easier down the home stretch of the 2021/22 season. Across five of their final seven games, the Lakers will face off against four Western Conference playoff-bound teams in the Jazz, Nuggets (twice), Suns, and Warriors.
Here are a few more Lakers-related health updates:
- Haynes’ sources have informed him that combo guard Kendrick Nunn, one of just five Lakers players earning more than the minimum this year, is expected to miss the rest of the 2021/22 season. Nunn has not played a single game for Los Angeles since incurring a bone bruise in his knee during the 2021 preseason. He signed a two-year, $10MM contract with L.A. during the 2021 offseason with a player option for 2022/23. Given his health predicament, it seems likely he will pick up that option.
- According to Haynes, All-Star forward LeBron James is expected to miss his second consecutive game on Thursday after rolling his ankle during a 116-108 loss to the Pelicans on Sunday. Thursday would mark the four-time MVP’s 20th missed contest this year.
- Reserve power forward Wenyen Gabriel, who has emerged as an important role player for Los Angeles, has been listed as day-to-day going forward after suffering a left ankle sprain, tweets Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Too little….too little
Probably a good idea to get AD some facetime on the court in case they want to entertain offers from afar this offseason
Wenyen has NBA speed, length, and vertical his brain just has to catch up to where he wants to go and where he needs to be on the court. There’s a solid career in there if he finds his court awareness
Shooting would help Wenyon too.
I think the Lakers would prefer to make the play-ins, rather than not, even if fans are not confident. AD+LJ is good for something, plus Monk has averaged 25 the last three games. Not the same team I know, not the same airtight defense.
What exactly is Nunns issue. They definitely could have used him this yr. And probably don’t trade for Westbrook if he was playing. Injuries have hurt the Lakers. But all teams go thru that. Just shows they weren’t good enough.
Lakers should just trade Bron and take back control. They’re not winning with him. Just build around AD. Bron can bring back good value.
Love, Sexton, two #1 picks.
If it were just the player, then yeah I’d trade for him if I were the Cavs…But, that just isn’t how LeBron rolls. .
Since LeBron cannot help himself, and has to bring with him his ego, and his controlling GM playing ways, I’m staying WAAAY FAR AWAY if I’m the Cavs..
They have done a great job building that franchise from the heap of burning trash he left them with…Unwanted players with unwanted salaries that LeBron insisted they trade for or sign, almost little to no draft picks, because he forced then to trade them away or threatened to leave….Just no thank you, he isn’t worth the headache anymore..
Normally, I agree with you Al, but I just cannot do it on this one..lol
Also, having Nunn sitting out the entire year was a complete mystery to me as well. Apparently his rehab was littered with setbacks, but hopefully they can get something out of him next season.
I guess his medicals must have played a significant role in why they were able to get him so cheap. Originally, I thought he was going to prove to be one of the steals of free agency, especially with all three of Nunn, Monk, and Melo all helping to play strong roles alongside LeBron and AD…Man, was I wrong..
@Richard
A completely false statement. EVERY time a star retires or departs they have to rebuild so not sure what you’re talking about. And the Cavs had early 1st round picks in every single year since he’s left. Sexton in 2018, Garland in 2019, Okoro in 2020 and Mobley in 2021. And after the end of next season every single player earning more than $5 mil was off the roster was gone except for Love who they chose to extend AFTER LBJ had already joined the Lakers. So in the case of his last stint (and pretty much with the Heat) none of what you said is true at all. What he DID leave behind is the Cavs first championship and the cities first since the 60s. THAT’S THE OBJECTIVE. To win. Not to be the team with the most flexible salary cap and draft picks.
@Knickerbocker
They can’t win with him? They already won with him. Saying they can’t win with LBJ is absurd. And if he joins the Cavs it won’t be via a trade.
The Noodle (Davis) will return to action this weekend in a cribbage tournament sponsored by the Latimer Iowa Men’s Platoon (LIMP). Stay tuned for his next injury. A paper cut perhaps?