Former NBA star and current NBA TV analyst, Dennis Scott, believes that Anthony Davis must embrace playing more minutes at center. On the other hand, Scott’s colleague, NBA TV’s Jared Greenberg, reported that Davis would not see any extra time at the center position even with DeMarcus Cousins out long-term.
In the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins news a high ranking member of the Lakers tells me that they do not expect nor do they want Anthony Davis to play “big minutes” at center this season @NBATV
— Jared Greenberg (@JaredSGreenberg) August 16, 2019
“Lakers fans will get mad at me but this team is going to struggle at times,” Scott said. “Will they make the playoffs? Yes, but they are not going to be that powerhouse in the West. This is LeBron’s 17th year. This is not the LeBron who went to Miami. You can’t tell me Anthony Davis doesn’t want to play center. He has to! If this team wants to be great, [Davis has to be prepared] to play center so they can get some of these other players on the floor to help the team.
“What happened in Toronto last year when Kawhi Leonard sat out games for load management? Pascal Siakam and Fred Vanvleet held down the fort when Leonard missed those 22 games. What confidence do Lakers fans have, based on their roster, that [the team] can afford for LeBron to miss 10 games? I don’t see the same depth that we see on the other side of the [Staples Center] with the Clippers. I need to see more depth on that Lakers team before I can say they are going to be OK.”
Scott also thinks that the Lakers could easily use Davis at center and LeBron James at power forward position.
“Based on their depth chart, that has to happen,” Scott said. “If ‘AD’ thinks he is going to stay at the four and LeBron will move back to the [small forward} three-spot, defensively they will be struggling. AD will be in foul trouble. We know LeBron isn’t going to chase [someone like] Paul George around the court all game long. That’s understandable, he’s in year 17! As [team president] Rob Pelinka and his crew sit down, they need to figure out who they can find in the free agency market but AD, I’m sorry, you are going to have to play some five!”
