If one were to guess that LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been the players that have looked most impressive in training camp for the Los Angeles Lakers so far, they’d be wrong.
James was asked who has stood out most, and he mentioned three players that most Lakers fans would agree will need to step things up this upcoming season.
LeBron was asked if anything stood out so far: "I thought Dwight and JaVale have been very good, if not great since practice started. I love what they’re able to do … and Avery (Bradley) continues to stand out obviously, just with his defensive tenacity.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 30, 2019
Dwight Howard and Avery Bradley, in particular, will be called upon to augment their respective positions, especially since they possess certain skill sets that vital to the team’s success.
Howard was signed in August shortly after DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will be expected to defend the rim, grab rebounds, run the floor both defensively and offensively and occasionally be a scoring threat.
As he weighs 265 pounds, Howard could also help the Lakers check wide-bodied centers such as Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, especially come playoff time.
He and McGee are expected to compete for the starting center spot.
Bradley will be asked to not only hit open 3-pointers and possibly handle the ball at times, but to be a point-of-attack defender who will harass opposing point guards as they bring the ball upcourt and initiate their team’s halfcourt offense.
