Anthony Davis says he is playing with a chip on his shoulder. 0: 24.
With reams of championship banners hanging above him, a couple of Hall of Fame teammates present in the gym with him and a team roster that will cost the Los Angeles Lakers a hair under $175 million, Anthony Davis said.
We have a chip on our shoulders this season. During the team's annual media day on Monday, Davis said that they were the favorites. The world is interested in seeing what we do. They are not talking about us. We would prefer to be under the radar.
Do you mean the Lakers? Do you think underdogs are. Are you with this team? It's not easy. The Lakers didn't even qualify for the play-in tournament when they came in as the betting odds' favorite to win the title.
Davis missed a lot of games due to injury. James sat out a lot. During his first season with the team, Russell was not comfortable. L.A. didn't sign many veteran free-agency signings. The Lakers were 21st in team defense and 22nd in 3-point shooting. Less than two years after guiding the franchise to its first title in a decade, Frank Vogel was fired by the team.
He promised to get the Lakers back on track by approaching this season the same way he did when he was first traded to L.A.
Davis said to be more aggressive. I began to get in my own head a lot. A lot of people don't know that. Knowing how good I could have been.
He was not the only one who had trouble. He said that he and new coach Darvin Ham have already established a comfort level with their players.
The two of them have been in communication since day one. Being able to talk to him immediately was very important to me.
With that connection, Westbrook said he is open to whatever coaching Ham provides, even if that means coming off the bench, something he hasn't done since his freshman season.
"Wherever I'm told to go, I'm going," he said. I'm happy to be able to play a game that I enjoy.
The starting point guard competition will be a factor in the beginning of training camp. Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said that Dennis Schroder may not be able to report to the team for another week due to visa issues in his home country of Germany.
The league's Most Valuable Player is expected to have a better season this year.
He's been great, said Ham. He's done everything I have asked of him. When we talk to him, everything has been about being selfish, being team oriented, having a defensive mindset and holding him to that, words that came out of his own mouth that, you know, he's going to be at a very high level defensively.
The Lakers will win this season, according to James.
"I look forward to being a part of the journey with him this year, and I'm looking forward to a great year for him," said James, who is entering his 20th season in the NBA. I am going to be with him.
As long as he's wearing purple and gold, that's all that matters.
"If we have to continue to upgrade our roster throughout the season, we will," Pelinka said.
Pelinka said he would be open to a deal if it involved the Lakers' first-round draft picks in the 2029 and 27th century.
Pelinka pointed out that James signed a three-year contract extension in August that will keep him in a Cleveland uniform. We will do everything we can to help him get to the end. He made a commitment to our organization. It needs to be a bilateral commitment.
Before a decision is made on whether to shake up the roster with a trade is needed, Ham wants to see how this group performs on the defensive side of the ball.
"We are going to be able to stop," he said. It should be possible for us to be one of the top defensive teams. The work will be put in. The personnel are in place for it. It's all about making it happen.
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