Should Ed Davis Return as Los Angeles Lakers Starter Next Season?

You always know what you’re getting from Ed Davis—an all-around effort and a bruising inside game. But should the Los Angeles Lakers, a team in transition, bring the 25-year-old back as a starter next season?

Davis recently indicated he would opt out of his contract at season’s end in hopes of returning for a longer run.

“I’m hoping for a long-term deal,” the big man said, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “I’d love to return here. I know this will turn around eventually.”

And that’s OK with Lakers coach Byron Scott, who said, per Medina: “He plays hard and he knows his role. He does so many things to make himself better and to make us better.”

Can Davis and the organization keep the chemistry rolling and make a match for the future?

At 6’10” and 240 pounds, Davis has primarily played the power forward position during his five-year pro career. But the Lakers have another possibility as a starting 4 next season: lottery draft pick Julius Randle, who went down with a broken leg in his rookie debut.

There is certainly a case to be made for Randle coming off the bench as he learns the ways of the NBA. After all, even Kobe Bryant played a support role his first two seasons.

But regardless of the bench versus starter argument, Davis has proven his worth, including an astonishingly accurate touch when scoring the ball at close range. 

During a recent appearance on Lakers Voices for Lakers.com, Mike Trudell pointed out that Davis has been the league’s most efficient scorer since the All-Star break, averaging 75 percent from the field.

Trudell asked the Big Boss about his methodology for getting his touches.

“Just do what I do. Basically just try to take high-percentage shots,” said Davis. “I get a lot of easy buckets around the paint, playing with the guards we have. The rook [Jordan Clarkson] and J-Lin [Jeremy Lin] find me and give me easy buckets.”

For the season, the frontcourt model of consistency is connecting at 61 percent with averages of 8.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 assists per game.

Davis was an NCAA champion at North Carolina in 2009 along with fellow Laker Wayne Ellington.

Drafted at No. 13 by the Toronto Raptors in 2010, the big man was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies during his third season in the league. He turned down a reported $20 million extension in Memphis and subsequently became a free agent—signing with Los Angeles for the rock-bottom price of $981,084 this season, with a player’s option of $1,100,602 for 2015-16.

There is no doubt he has earned a raise.

And while Davis has only started 24 of 65 games this season, he has played the fourth-most minutes in total, behind Wesley Johnson, Lin and Jordan Hill. He is also the only Laker to appear in every game so far. He comes in and does the hard work—cleaning the glass, hustling after loose balls, throwing down dunks and protecting the rim.

His 83 blocks this season are by far the most on the team—the next closest being Hill at 47. The defensively challenged Lakers cannot afford to lose this guy.

The son of former NBA big man Terry Davis, Ed grew up in Virginia wanting only one thing—to play professional hoops.

“That was always my plan A, B and C,” Davis said to Trudell. “I never thought of anything else or cared to do anything else.”

Asked what he might do after basketball ends, the Lakers forward spoke about the struggles facing kids from rough backgrounds and those without parents.

“When I’m done playing, I plan on opening up a group home for inner-city guys,” said Davis. “That’s going to be something I focus on more towards the end of my career and once I finish up my career.”

Davis pointed out the Richmond, Virginia, gym that former Detroit Piston Ben Wallace runs as a model of giving back to the community.

But the end of Davis’ career is still in the distance, and the question remains—what will it take to keep him in Los Angeles?

On the one hand, he is proving his worth in real and tangible ways, including some of the most effective stats among his fellow bigs.

Ed Davis	19.9 PER	13.2 ORB%	4.3 BLK%	5.5 WS
Jordan Hill	16.5 PER	9.8 ORB%	2.4 BLK%	2.2 WS
Carlos Boozer	17.0 PER	6.6 ORB%	0.5 BLK%	2.4 WS
Tarik Black	14.5 PER	11.1 ORB%	2.2 BLK%	0.8 WS

But there is a difficult balancing act for a rebuilding team with needs across the board. Once free agency hits on July 1, management will need to prioritize its spending.

As important as Davis may be as a roster component, he’s not the kind of player who takes precedent over pursuing elite types that could become the face of the franchise once Bryant retires.

Yet at the same time, other teams will undoubtedly be courting Davis as the Lakers chase bigger fish in the talent pool.

Ultimately, Los Angeles needs to find a balance and demonstrate its desire and reassurance to a player who clearly wants to be there.

“I just hope that I can retire here,” said Davis to Trudell. “As I always say, there’s definitely going to be some better days soon here. And to be able to be a part of this organization and to win championships here is definitely a dream of mine.”

And that’s a crucial goal—to identify and retain players who can contribute to a championship culture once again.

Davis is also the kind of building-block player who always has his teammates' backs and will help those around him grow and develop for the future. 

He can also be an affordable rotation big, something the NBA really lacks.

The ultimate glue guy with the stern on-court demeanor doesn’t make excuses, nor does he beg for attention.

Now if only the Big Boss could do something about knocking down free throws—his 50 percent for the season is bad enough, but his 36 percent in March is truly frightening.

For every silver lining, there’s a cloud. But Ed Davis still has enough positive attributes to command support.

Should he be a Lakers starter next season? That is yet to be determined.

But the man who walks tall and leads by example most certainly should return in purple and gold.