Stephen A. Smith Questions Anthony Davis’ Offseason Conditioning
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ Cinderella run came to an end after the Denver Nuggets swept them in the Western Conference Finals.
After beating the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors in the first two rounds of the postseason, the Lakers were considered favorites by many to come out of the West.
Nikola Jokic and co. had different plans and eliminated them in four games, creating doubts about the future of this team.
While LeBron James played well, Anthony Davis was criticized for his inconsistency during the series.
Stephen A. Smith, who has been a critic of Davis recently questioned his offseason conditioning, wondering if Davis is fully committed in the offseason.
“In my world, if I had to point at the thing that disturbs me is how somebody like Anthony Davis, who was so pivotal to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ success, always seems to be a distance behind LeBron James when it comes to his durability, his availability, and his conditioning. That’s what it’s about, it’s conditioning.”
Smith claims that Davis was once crucial for the Lakers’ success but he’s not that player anymore.
Moreover, he says that LeBron James is in better condition despite being 38 years old while Davis is in his prime.
Ever since the 2020 Orlando bubble, things have changed for Davis.
He’s still considered the future of this team, but if he’s not consistent, the Lakers could move on from him and bring in a different player to lead the team.
LeBron James is still going strong, but he reportedly wants to take a lesser role on the team, which is why the team could be looking to make a move for Kyrie Irving.
Davis has the skills to be a top-5 player in the league, but injuries and the lack of consistency have always been an issue.
Next season can be crucial for him, and if he doesn’t show anything different, perhaps his days with the Lakers are numbered.