Lakers Rumors: LA Rates LeBron James Above Anthony Davis as Team's Best Defender

While Anthony Davis is widely viewed as the Los Angeles Lakers' best defender, some of the team's internal metrics reportedly rate LeBron James higher.

ESPN's Zach Lowe reported the news as he revealed his All-Defensive teams, though he didn't select James to either his first or second team. Lowe listed Davis as a first-team forward.

The Lakers are third in defensive rating this season, a bit of a surprise given that veteran-laden rosters tend to pick their spots before the playoffs get underway. James is at the forefront of a motivated Lakers bunch, often acting as the quarterback on defense, calling out defensive rotations and using his vision to help teammates get in position.

Anyone who has watched the Lakers' scrimmages in Orlando, Florida, can hear James call out the rotations in real time—even for Davis, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

While that may be enough to garner LeBron consideration for All-Defensive teams, Lowe correctly points out that he rarely defends a team's best player. In most cases, he's hidden on their worst to help him preserve energy for shouldering a massive offensive load. This is understandable; James is 35 years old and in his 17th NBA season.

There have been some exceptions, including when he took on Giannis Antetokounmpo in a statement March win over the Milwaukee Bucks. However, James is hidden enough that it's fair to look at any metric that would rank him over Davis with some level of skepticism.