The Los Angeles Lakers issued an initial timetable on the injury to star center Anthony Davis, but it sounds like the organization is prepared to live without him for a while.
The Lakers announced Monday that Davis will be evaluated in 2-3 weeks due to a calf strain. This should not be viewed as a solid return date, however.
A Lakers source told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that the Lakers are prepared to be very cautious and conservative in bringing Davis back, taking a more long-term view of his health.
Asked a team source how the Lakers are processing the Anthony Davis news: “Long haul. Long season. Take as long as he needs.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 15, 2021
The Lakers want to win another championship. They’ll need Davis healthy to do that. At 21-7, missing the playoffs isn’t a concern for them. While they’d certainly like to be as well-positioned as possible in terms of seeding, Davis’ health is more important.
The injury didn’t look great live, so the fact that it’s not extremely severe is good news. Davis might be out a while, but there’s no reason the Lakers shouldn’t have him back for the playoffs, especially if they’re planning to be this cautious.