NBA Free Agents 2020: Latest Rumors on Lakers' Anthony Davis, Kings' Harry Giles
Anthony Davis has been worth every bit of the internal strife and chemistry questions the Los Angeles Lakers faced prior to acquiring him last July.
Just over a year ago, it was Davis who might have played the biggest role in driving a wedge between LeBron James and some of his teammates. LeBron made no bones about his desire to play alongside Davis, and Davis wasn't shy about wanting to leave the New Orleans Pelicans.
Los Angeles' inability to acquire Davis before the 2019 trade deadline would ultimately lead to Magic Johnson stepping down from his role as president of basketball operations, which in turn set off a number of questions regarding the franchise's direction and leadership.
But Lakers majority owner Jeanie Buss got things in order in a hurry. She promoted general manager Rob Pelinka to Magic's old position, and Pelinka would quickly act on getting LeBron his co-star.
What a difference one year makes.
Not only had the Lakers been thriving throughout the 2019-20 season due to the partnership of James and Davis, but AD has also had a transformative effect on their defense.
The Lakers ranked third in both opponents scoring average and defensive rating through their first 63 games, according to Basketball Reference. For his part, Davis was averaging a ridiculous 2.4 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, anchoring a monstrous Lakers frontcourt which also led the NBA in blocks per game.
Granted, Pelinka filled out the roster with veterans like Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Danny Green and a host of others who have had a profound impact on L.A.'s success on the defensive end. But it all starts with Davis, who can play out on the perimeter while also hunting for blocks as an elite help defender.
It remains to be seen whether the NBA will resume due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it seems likely AD will be in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.
The 27-year-old has a player option he is likely to decline. But Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register reported the Lakers are seen as favorites to re-sign Davis, saying "Most in league circles believe that work is largely done—that L.A. is where Davis wanted to be, LeBron James is the teammate he wanted to have, and that the Lakers have done enough to sell him on a future with the franchise."
Of course, this does not account for the monetary figure necessary to bring Davis back, though the Lakers would not have traded for him last summer if they were not willing to go to extraordinary lengths to re-sign him this year.
Plus, Pelinka worked hard to make sure the Lakers were in a stable place financially both at the start of the season and moving forward.
It seems like a good bet for Davis to return to Hollywood. The Lakers had been thriving prior to the suspension of play, and there do not appear to be many other teams with the cap space and opportunity to win Davis would probably desire if he even thought about leaving Los Angeles.
Kings 'Haven't Given Up' on Re-Signing Harry Giles
For a good portion of his prep career, it seemed Harry Giles was destined to have a similar trajectory to that of Davis. He was the No. 1 high school recruit in the Class of 2016 before choosing to attend Duke University.
But Giles—who also suffered a knee injury in November 2015—underwent knee surgery in October 2016, and he never quite got back on track with the Blue Devils. He started in just six of 26 contests for Mike Krzyzewski's squad, averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.
Undeterred, Giles still entered his name in the 2017 NBA draft, where he was selected at No. 20 overall and ultimately traded to the Sacramento Kings. But again, he faced adversity.
The Winston-Salem, North Carolina native was essentially held out for the entirety of the 2017-18 season. Despite a decent showing in his rookie campaign last year, the Sacramento Kings decided to decline his fourth-year player option for this year, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Giles has since proved he can be an effective NBA player. Though the soon-to-be 22-year-old missed a number of games early in the year, he forced his way back into the rotation and even made strides as a starter. He was averaging 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds through 38 games, including 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in his last 15 contests, per NBA.com.
James Ham of NBC Sports California reported that while the Kings initially declined that fourth-year option, they "haven't given up" on re-signing Giles this summer. Of course, he is likely to have options in free agency.
Ham also noted a number of teams inquired about Giles prior to the trade deadline, though the Kings elected to retain him. This summer, however, they will be unable to match the highest bidder since he will be unrestricted.
Granted, the Kings might still give him the best offer, especially if other teams remain skeptical of his durability. Still, Giles figures to explore his options.
All stats obtained via Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.
