Lakers News: Anthony Davis to Play Wednesday vs. Warriors After Thumb Injury

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that superstar big man Anthony Davis will play in the team's preseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. 

Davis, 26, suffered a sprained thumb in the first half of Saturday's preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets in China and was held out of Monday's matchup against the Warriors.

Davis had been listed as day-to-day, but his ability to play on Wednesday should ease any concerns that his thumb issue might linger into the regular season. The fact that his MRI came back clean on Monday was a good sign that the injury wasn't serious.

The last thing the new-look Lakers would have wanted to start the 2019-20 season was their marquee offseason addition opening the year on the bench, especially given the haul they sent to the New Orleans Pelicans to land him.

The Lakers gave up Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, a 2021 top-eight protected first-rounder that will become an unprotected 2022 pick if it doesn't convey, pick-swap rights in 2023 and an unprotected first-rounder in 2024 (that can be deferred until 2025) for Davis.

The plan in Los Angeles was simple: Pair Davis with LeBron James, attempt to sign a third star like Kawhi Leonard and win multiple titles. The first goal was met. The second was not—Leonard chose to pair with Paul George on the Los Angeles Clippers. That duo stands in the way of the third goal of winning multiple titles. 

That inner-city rivalry is one of the premier storylines heading into the season, though while Davis and James are on track to play in the team's opener, George likely won't play until November as he mends from offseason shoulder injury.

That means the highly anticipated opener between the two teams on Oct. 22 will be devoid of one major star. But with Wednesday's news, Davis will be good to go.