Normally, there is not much to take away from a preseason game in the NBA. The games don’t count and coaches use it as an opportunity to mix and match the players on their roster, seeing what works the best and how to deploy them in the regular season when the games count. However, that is not the case when it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles went viral numerous times during their most recent matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Not one, but two videos of Russell Westbrook separating himself from the team came about.
The first was during player introductions, he ran back to the bench while his teammates gathered together following LeBron James being announced.
The second was early in the third quarter when Patrick Beverley was huddling the Lakers on the court before foul shots. He gestured toward Westbrook to join them multiple times and Anthony Davis even went over to him, but he took his spot on the foul line and gave a high-five instead.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
After the game, it was Davis who went viral for some of the comments he made post-game. He was asked about potentially being the starting center when the season starts and his answer is one that raised some eyebrows.
“I trust Coach’s decision. I mean, I’m pretty sure he heard AD wants to play the 4, so he knows where I stand, but at the end of the day, I want to win, so if that’s me playing the 5, that’s what it’s got to be.”
Davis has always been steadfast in his preference to play power forward compared to the center spot. He is a natural 4 and is more comfortable playing there and given the makeup of the Lakers’ roster, power forward is likely where Davis should be playing.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
While Davis made sure to say that he trusts head coach Darvin Ham and will do whatever it takes to win, he did take a dig at his first-year head coach. Ham is going to have his hands full with this roster of veterans and being tasked with turning around what was the most disappointing team in the NBA during the 2021-22 campaign.
