Stephen a Smith Makes a Bold Statement on Anthony Davis’ Injury Issues: “Durability Is a Question Mark at Age 28”

The Los Angeles Lakers have been in a state of flux for some time, and the trade deadline passed without the team making a move to enhance its squad. While the season isn’t yet over, some in the NBA are already recommending that the Lakers start planning for the offseason. Because of his proclivity for injuries, Anthony Davis has been mentioned in recent arguments.

Feb 28, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) sits on the bench during the game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers are currently 26-31 on the season, and a significant part of it can be attributed to Anthony Davis, who has missed 21 of those 57 games. Westbrook takes the brunt of the criticism for the Lakers’ poor start to the season, but LeBron and AD aren’t far behind.

While some feel they can salvage their season if they get back in shape immediately, others say they should start thinking about the off-season and the following few years now.

Stephen A. Smith states Lakers have to trade Anthony Davis

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re going to talk about the Lakers beyond this season. They have to trade Anthony Davis. You don’t keep Anthony Davis. Here’s why,” Smith said on ESPN.

“Because his value is his value as a player, but durability is a question mark at age 28. As you get older, those durability questions are going to be more prevalent. So, when you think about his top being as high as it’s going to be, is it that right now? ,” Smith added.

When the Lakers acquired Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019, they were undoubtedly hopeful that the All-Star center would assist LeBron James in bringing numerous championships to Los Angeles.

Anthony Davis

Davis was instrumental in the Lakers’ championship victory in his debut season with the Purple and Gold. He averaged 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in the 2020 playoffs. He was also quite effective from the field, completing 57.1 percent of his attempts.

The Lakers would be considerably better in every aspect of their game if they could deal with Westbrook, but no franchise would want him today, even without considering his astronomically large salary. So they’re left with the option of exchanging AD, which, if realized, will provide them with a great deal of assistance.