The problem of centering at the Lakers: sign Christian Wood to please Anthony Davis?

ESPN reports that Anthony Davis has clearly stated his attitude to the host team: he wants to play the main striker, instead of the center position next season.

The eight-time All-Star player has almost exclusively played in the No 5 position last season as well as most of the 2021/22 season.

In the past, Anthony Davis tended to play in the number 4 position to avoid strong collisions in the area under the basket, especially when he was relatively susceptible to injury.

However, the last 2 seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers did not have good strikers, and AD was forced to stick in more.

In fact, AD played quite well at the No. 5 position, scoring an average of 25.9 points and achieving a career-high 12.5 rebounds, while achieving a shooting efficiency of over 56%.

He could have made it into the All-NBA squad for the first time in three years, if he hadn't continued to have problems with injuries. Perhaps too many absences last season led to the 30-year-old's request.

The Lakers have already begun to act on Davis' request, adding free agents Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood before the start of the season.

That doesn't mean Davis will be completely exempt from the role of a center forward. The combination in the forward position of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura may push Davis into the area under the basket at a crucial moment.

Jarred Vanderbilt will also increase the competition in positions 3-4. He played well at both ends of the pitch last season and is likely to get an increase in playing time.

Even if Christian Wood has landed, there is no guarantee that this player will hit the 20-minute mark per game, when the competition in the Lakers' inner row is huge. But anyway, that will reduce AD's load so he can play more matches.