Lakers Want To Make Sure Anthony Davis Is ‘Aligned’ With New Head Coach

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers want to make sure Anthony Davis is aligned with the new head coach. 

Davis didn’t have a good relationship with Darvin Ham. 

“The Lakers have been committed to making All-NBA forward Anthony Davis a significant part of the conversation on the next head coach and want to make sure that he is aligned with how a new coach plans to feature him on offense and defense, sources said,” Woj wrote. 

The Lakers are expected to hire Dan Hurley or JJ Redick as their next head coach.

LeBron James, who can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason by declining his 2024-25 player option, has made it known that he is staying out of the Lakers’ coaching search.

Los Angeles fired Ham after two seasons. Ham went 90-74 in the regular season and 9-12 in the postseason.

The Lakers went 47-35 in 2023-24. They lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Denver also swept Los Angeles in the 2023 conference finals. 

Davis averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.3 blocks this season while shooting 55.6% from the field, 27.1% from beyond the arc and 81.6% from the free-throw line in 76 games. The nine-time All-Star recorded 64 double-doubles and two triple-doubles. 

A future Hall of Famer, Davis signed a three-year, $177 million extension with the Lakers in August 2023. Los Angeles wants Davis to spend the rest of his career with them. 

Along with Hurley and Redick, the Lakers have met with James Borrego, Sam Cassell and David Adelman. 

Davis and LeBron became teammates on the Lakers in 2019-20. Los Angeles won the 2020 championship, lost in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the postseason in 2022, lost in the 2023 conference finals and lost in the first round this year. 

LeBron, who turns 40 next season, is expected to play one or two more seasons in the NBA.