Redick finds blueprint for AD becoming Lakers’ offensive hub

Yet after all these weeks in which Redick has talked about his plans to run so much of his offense t… https://t.co/E7lypU8eWh via @hoopshype

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 24, 2024

Yet after all these weeks in which Redick has talked about his plans to run so much of his offense through Davis, while empowering him more than ever along the way, it was quite a thing to see it play out in this kind of dominant form. They have the blueprint now, and the question is whether they can repeat it on a regular basis over the course of these next six (or more) months.

“Yeah, I mean playing through me at the elbows, the post, the top of the key, I think this is what we envisioned, just making plays out of (those spots) and kind of directing the offense,” Davis said. “And the same thing defensively. Obviously, it’s going to grow and we’re going to integrate more things within that. But I think it’s a good first step of seeing how (Redick) wants me to play and how he wants me to be that hub and to orchestrate the offense, in a sense.”

For all the focus on the 39-year-old James in this Lakers era — and his 19-year-old son, Bronny, in this particular week — the 31-year-old Davis is the one who matters most to the Lakers’ uncertain future. He’s the superstar in his prime who is under contract for massive money through the 2027-28 campaign (topping out at $70.1 million). He’s the one, in addition to James, whose perspective is being taken into account by ownership and the front office when the big decisions are being made (including, as I’ve discussed, the choice to part ways with Darvin Ham and hire first-year coach JJ Redick). And he’s the one who looked capable of carrying that sort of weighty load in the opener when he went at the neck of four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

The stat line spoke for itself: 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. According to Stathead.com, it was just the second time in Davis’ career (797 total games; regular season and playoffs) that he reached those particular marks. Even if you pare it down to just points and rebounds, he had gone off like this only 29 times before (3.6 percent of the time).

It was high volume (11-of-23 shooting) in ways that we don’t often see from Davis, as he hit that 23-shot mark just seven times in the entire 2023-24 campaign.