When the Los Angeles Lakers dealt for Anthony Davis, the trade brought with it waves of excitement because it brought together Davis and LeBron James on the same team.
According to comments from both James and Davis, the two superstars are continually working to establish effective chemistry to benefit the team.
James has played with other standout players, such as Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving, during his previous 16 NBA seasons. However, he feels that his past dealings with Davis have already established the sort of blunt honesty between both players that should make for a quicker transition.
“I don’t think it’s ever easy to build, but I think it’s going very good because of the relationship we had before becoming teammates,” James said. “We’re able to be straightforward with one another, not sugarcoat anything and not take anything personal, being able to take constructive criticism. He gets in my ear, I get in his ear and it’s all for the better, trying to make each other better and challenge each other, which will ultimately be better for the team.”
In James’ previous stints with Wade and Irving, there were some early bumps along the way. Yet, such pairings led to eventual championships in both Miami and Cleveland, with both James and Davis hoping that history repeats itself in this instance.
Davis spoke following Saturday night’s preseason against the Golden State Warriors about how he and James have been trying to make sure that they’re connecting with each other. It’s a process that began soon after Davis became a Laker.
“We’re just trying to figure it out. Even when we’re off the floor watching film, or even when we’re on the floor we’re talking,” Davis said. “Or if he’s on the floor and I’m on the bench, or vice-versa, we just try to help each other out. … The more we can do that, the easier the game is going to be for us and our teammates. So any time we’ve got an opportunity to learn, that’s good for us.”
There’s always a danger when two or more superstars come together on the same team, largely due to the issues of handling the ball and those players’ egos. The good news is that so far, neither concern seems to have surfaced for the Lakers, which could make for an exciting season ahead.
