Anthony Davis foot injury, Jaxson Hayes investigation, Bronny G League

There are many twists and turns in the NBA season and Los Angeles Lakers Fans couldn’t have been more shockingly different from each other from the first two weeks anyway.

The Lakers came into the game flying with a 3-0 start. New head coach JJ Redick appeared to have smoothly steered the ship in the right direction in the post-Darvin Ham era, Anthony Davis looked like a strong MVP candidate, and the Lakers looked poised to declare themselves as top contenders in the West in the aftermath. Destroying Wolves, Suns and Kings.

It had been almost a week since the Lakers capped their season-opening streak with a third straight win, but It feels like a lot longer.. After beating the Kings, Los Angeles went 1-3, which included a revenge game by the Suns, double-digit losses to the Cavs and Pistons, and a nearly 26-point lead over the Raptors. It’s been a disastrous journey, but thankfully it ends tonight in Memphis, after which the Lakers will return to Los Angeles for three home games.

There’s plenty of news to keep up with, both on and off the field, so let’s get into it before tonight’s game.

Anthony Davis has become one of the best players in the league in his 13th NBA season. While AD was the league’s top scorer with 32.6 points per game, he also recorded 11.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.7 blocks. It’s scary to think about where the Lakers would be without him.

Unfortunately, this nightmare may turn from hypothetical to reality. Davis re-injured his foot In a loss to the Pistons on Monday night. Davis appeared to aggravate the injury in the fourth quarter and although he received medical attention, he did not come out immediately. He said after the game: “Honestly, I’ve been managing this since this summer and my goal for every game is to be on the field. And I kind of went straight down to the point that killed me. So, we’ll figure it out.”

It appears to be Davis’ pre-game decision tonight, but the fact that he participated in today’s shootout is a very good sign. His absence will set the stage for another big game from Grizzlies’ 7-foot-1 rookie Zach Edey, who had a season-best 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks against the Nets on Monday. .

Davis has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, but the 76 games he played last season were a career-high. Unfortunately, this latest injury isn’t a huge surprise, not only because of his participation in the Olympics with Team USA this summer, but also because of his increased usage rate this season. Whether he misses time or not, JJ Redick may need to focus more on keeping his star big man healthy throughout the season.

As in the NBA, frontcourt news gets worse for the Lakers Restarted the investigation TMZ turned Jaxson Hayes this weekend after releasing a video of Hayes arguing and being rude with his girlfriend in 2021.

Hayes was arrested three years ago after the incident and was given probation and community service, although he was never disciplined by the NBA. This may change after the release of this video.

The NBA, like other leagues, has a checkered history with its players and domestic violence. Kevin Porter Jr. and Miles Bridges. Bridges missed more than a season after pleading guilty to a domestic violence charge, but was still rewarded with a three-year, $75 million contract by the Charlotte Hornets.

Video evidence is usually enough to make leagues take these things seriously, and that seems to be what’s happening here. We all remember the NFL’s mishandling of the Ray Rice case in 2014 as a turning point in the league’s fight against domestic violence, but there’s still a long way to go.

It feels disgusting to talk about the basketball consequences of something like this, but Lakers fans like Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick will have to consider the on-court consequences if Hayes is suspended. This would further compound the fact that Anthony Davis is dealing with a foot injury, especially since the team is still awaiting the first season of Jarred Vanderbilt, who is dealing with a foot ailment.

Despite a healthy Davis, Vanderbilt and Hayes, the Lakers are heavily rumored to be seeking a big man via a trade with Utah. Walker Kessler often quoted as their ultimate goal. This need will grow even more if the NBA’s investigation results in disciplinary action against Hayes.

Bronny James has received more attention than any second-round rookie in NBA history, and with his famous name, it’s not hard to see why. The Lakers surprised no one by selecting LeBron’s son on draft night, and while it was a great moment to see the two Jameses share the court together, it looks like reality is about to set in, if only for a brief moment.

Bronny isn’t ready to be a productive NBA player yet, and with the G League season starting this weekend, it makes more sense for him to play there rather than sit on the bench at Crypto.com Arena. That’s why he will be removed from the NBA roster after Wednesday night’s game against the Grizzlies. Sent to South Bay LakersLos Angeles’ G League affiliate.

It will be interesting to see if the Lakers really plan on having Bronny bounce back and forth or if this is just lip service. Will this negatively impact LeBron in some way if he stays in the South Bay? If he does return, will he actually get a few minutes or will it be more of a sideshow, then what?

If there’s one trait that scouts believe is Bronny’s best asset, it’s his potential on the defensive end. Other than Davis, the Lakers don’t look very good defensively and are especially vulnerable to fast players who can move into the lane. It may take some time, but if Bronny can improve defensively he can play a truly meaningful role on this team.