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USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Reporter: Lakers fans are more upset over losing key role player than Anthony Davis
Reporter: Lakers fans are more upset over losing key role player than Anthony Davis Anthony Davis had a somewhat contentious relationship with Los Angeles Lakers fans during his five seasons and change with the team. Although he brought the franchise an NBA championship during his first season with it, Lakers fans often lambasted him and accused him of being lazy, soft and unmotivated. On Feb. 1, he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks in the trade that brought Los Angeles Luka Dončić. Although Doncic himself has been accused of being lazy and out of shape, fans of the Purple and Gold have generally been very happy, if not thrilled, with that exchange. However, back in 2021, the organization made two big mistakes. It traded three viable role players in Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell for Russell Westbrook, who never fit in with L.A. It also let Alex Caruso, a key role player on its 2020 championship team, leave in free agency, and it reportedly low-balled him during contract negotiations. Mike Bresnahan, a Lakers analyst for Los Angeles-based Spectrum SportsNet, said on the "Lakeshow" podcast that the team's fans are more upset over losing Caruso than Davis. 'I feel like fans are more upset about losing him than Anthony Davis,' Bresnahan said. 'And of course, you got some pretty good return on the on the AD investment. That's, I think that's the obvious part of it, yeah, but I mean, AD is one of the best shot blockers, rebounders, good range too in the last 20 years in the NBA.' 'Caruso, part time starter, mostly coming off the bench since joining OKC. And Lakers fans just go apoplectic if you bring up his name.' When Caruso played for the Lakers, fans loved him to the point of hyping him up in an almost comical way. In fact, during that 2019-20 season, he was fourth in fan balloting among Western Conference backcourt players, and he got more votes than men such as Westbrook, Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker. However, he is an outstanding defender who will sacrifice his body and make hustle plays. While he isn't a great or consistent 3-point shooter, he can often space the floor for his teammates. He is now seemingly on his way toward earning a second world championship ring with the Oklahoma City Thunder. His value to them has been on display throughout this year's playoffs, and in the second round versus the Denver Nuggets, the 6-foot-5 guard even did a good job at times of guarding Nikola Jokić, the behemoth three-time MVP Nuggets center.
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Analyst: Lakers need to replace Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell
Analyst: Lakers need to replace Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell The Los Angeles Lakers badly need to acquire a starting-caliber defensive center this offseason. That deficiency was a big reason they got destroyed in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and fixing it will be job one for them. But the Lakers also need more guard and wing depth. Another reason they did so badly versus Minnesota was their utter lack of scoring off the bench, and it resulted in them being held under 100 points in three of the five games of the series. In other words, according to Spectrum SportsNet analyst Mike Bresnahan, the team needs to replace the skill sets of Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell, the two main players it traded this season in order to get Luka Doncic and Dorian Finney-Smith. He explained the situation on a recent episode of the "Lakeshow" podcast. 'They had that guy D-Lo, they traded him a few days after Christmas, he was going to get his 14-15 off the bench, but you acquired a defender in Dorian Finney-Smith,' Bresnahan said. 'I think you make that trade 10 times out of 10, but now this off-season, to me, is chasing what they gave up in their two big trades. 'A big man who can block shots, get rebounds, maybe stretch the court a little bit more than AD could. 'And then, of course, when you unload a guy like D'Angelo, who had his faults, but he could score, 15 off the bench. Gonna be chasing, I think, those two types of players during the off-season, with not much money to spend. Yeah, I sense a trade coming for sure.' Bresnahan mentioned Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and the Timberwolves' Naz Reid as two big men Los Angeles could target. However, given that the Pacers are two wins away from another trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, and given how much money Turner will likely command this summer, he may not be a very realistic option. Reid may be more gettable, but he's just 6-foot-9, and he isn't an outstanding rebounder or shot-blocker, at least statistically. Russell was often criticized by Lakers fans during his second stint with the team for his poor play during the playoffs, defensive shortcomings and what some perceived as nonchalance. But he gave the team a bona fide scoring option who would put up about 15-18 points a game, an accurate 3-point shooter and a reliable playmaker. The team doesn't necessarily need to replace his playmaking, but it could use a guard or wing off the bench who could crack double figures in scoring on a regular basis while also being a plus defender.
