Anthony Davis’ injury alters the timeline for the upgrade the Lakers can no longer delay.
Lakers Can’t Delay Center Upgrade Any Longer After Davis Injury
It’s a familiar story: the Los Angeles Lakers are once again looking for a center to fulfill Anthony Davis’ long-standing request for help. This has been a recurring topic in trade rumors for over a year, but general manager Rob Pelinka has yet to make a move.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, their hesitation has come back to haunt them, as what was once a glaring weakness on the court has now become a more pressing concern.
Davis is playing at an MVP-caliber level in the 2024-25 season, leading the NBA in scoring and maintaining his spot on the All-Defense team. However, the Lakers continue to struggle in surrounding him with the right pieces for consistent success.
The situation took a turn for the worse when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Davis is dealing with plantar fasciitis, an injury that could bother him throughout the season. This news highlights Pelinka’s failure to provide Davis with the support he’s been asking for.
Time Running Out for Lakers to Address Center Position
Jaxson Hayes has shown improvement this season compared to 2023-24, and Christian Koloko has intriguing potential. However, neither player is proven at the NBA level, and both have physical limitations—particularly on offense—that make them a poor fit for what the Lakers need at center.
These issues can be worked on over time, but the Lakers are already struggling to defend against bigger, more physical teams. Davis’ injury only makes matters worse.
Even if Davis continues to play through the pain, the Lakers need to find a way to ease the burden on him and protect his health. Hayes and Koloko may have promise, but the second unit is ineffective offensively, and the team continues to be exploited in the paint due to a lack of depth at center.
If Pelinka is serious about giving this team a real shot at a title, he needs to act quickly and bring in a proven center who can relieve Davis of some of the interior workload.
There are a few intriguing options on the market, such as Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks and Jonas Valančiūnas of the Washington Wizards. The price could be high, but the Lakers have waited too long and allowed their center position to remain a weakness.
Pelinka should avoid making a trade that could set the franchise back long-term, but the need for help in the middle is undeniable. Continuing to ignore the center position would increase the risk of Davis’ injury worsening, while adding a reliable center would give head coach J.J. Redick more flexibility to protect his star player.
Even if Davis were fully healthy, the fact remains that he has repeatedly asked for help at center, and the Lakers have failed to address this need. If they hope to reach their full potential this season, that trend must change.
