Anthony Davis is preparing for his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks, and the NBA world is watching to see how far he can lead the team.
He’s been the Robin to LeBron James’ Batman since signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, but when Anthony Davis was traded for Luka Doncic, he became the complete leader and veteran of the Dallas Mavericks.
Questions arose about Davis’ ability to fill the role when he arrived at training camp overweight. The 2020 NBA champion weighed in at 268 pounds, 15 pounds more than his listed weight last season.
Davis was confident in playing well, but the optics aren’t great considering it’s his first full season with a new team.
But Kendrick Perkins thinks the NBA world may have forgotten something about Davis amid all the talk about whether he’s not doing well.
Davis is in the discussion as the best defensive player on the planet. He can guard all five positions, led the NBA in blocks three times and was named an All-Defensive Player five times.
Injury issues aside, Davis is one of the most effective forwards in NBA history and played a pivotal role in the Lakers’ 2020 NBA Championship. But when he was traded to the Mavericks, it was Doncic, not Davis, that made the headlines.
Perkins said on NBA Today that people forget how good Davis really is. “I think AD is going to have a season like that. We’re talking about this Luka trade, so I think he feels disrespected, like he was disposable,” he explained.
“And we forget that he’s one of the most skilled power forwards in basketball history. His defensive impact makes him one of the players who could always win Defensive Player of the Year.”
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd talked about Davis’ impact on defense. He said the team could have one of the best rim-protecting units in the NBA with him in the frontcourt.
But even after Perkins praised Davis’ abilities, he did raise one big question heading into next season.
When the Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick, attention to Davis’ leadership increased tenfold. He is projected to be one of the league’s generational talents and is blessed with the leadership of elite veterans in Davis and Irving as teammates.
On paper, Flagg is in the perfect position to have a great rookie season. But it all depends on Davis being a leader in this locker room.
“I want AD to show that he can make the leap to leadership,” Perkins explained. “You spent four and a half seasons with LeBron James. You played with Rajon Rondo and won a championship with Rajon Rondo. You played with Rajon Rondo and won a championship.”
“Are you ready to come in and be that voice? Are you ready to take that step and be that voice in the locker room and lead by example?”
Davis has been reluctant to play that role in recent seasons. James reportedly wanted Davis to lead the Lakers, but instead, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer ended up carrying the torch longer than he would have ideally liked.
But Davis doesn’t have anyone he can rely on to lead this team. Now it’s time for him to take over and join Flagg and Irving in leading Dallas to the playoffs.