Anthony Davis may not approve of the Lakers’ latest coaching hire.

In the aftermath of the Lakers’ latest coaching hire, former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins revealed what he thinks could happen if things go wrong. As Perk explained, a poor start for head coach JJ Redick next season could force 6’10” center Anthony Davis to request a trade before February’s deadline.

“I want to see how it goes with Anthony Davis and I’m gonna give it until the All-Star break. If JJ Redick is not thriving and Anthony Davis is not playing at an elite level and he’s not happy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants out of LA… I’m gonna give it till the All-Star break to see how this goes.”

It was well known that Davis’ top choice was James Borrego and the 9x All-Star wasn’t too high on Redick getting the nod over more established names. Clearly, the Lakers do not feel the same way.

Redick was formally offered the Lakers’ job this morning and both he and GM Rob Pelinka are already hard at work building his coaching staff. Around the league, even though we all saw it coming, reactions have been mixed and many still aren’t sure what to make of this latest hire.

With no head coaching experience, choosing JJ to lead the Lakers was a risky move and the implications are dire if they fail to win many games next season. Even in the event of failure, it’s unlikely that the Lakers will move on from JJ as quickly as the rest but it doesn’t mean that things won’t become toxic in the locker room — and no player wants to play under conditions like that.

At 31 years old, Anthony Davis is still in his prime and now should be when the Lakers are making the most of his talents as one of the best big men in the game. After averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game this past season, he proved that he’s someone who can carry a team deep into the playoffs.

Just a few years ago, Davis was experiencing a similar level of dominance as a member of the Pelicans but it wasn’t long before he forced his way out of that situation in a rather ugly manner. Who is to say that he won’t pull the same thing on the Lakers if they cannot get their act together? With the way things have been going since the 2020 title run, not everyone would be surprised if Davis tried to look for a way out.

Of course, with five years remaining on his contract (signed through 2028), Davis isn’t going to find it easy to escape from the Purple and Gold. As a team under constant pressure to win, the Lakers will not let their prized big man go without a major fight and it remains to be seen if the Chicago native is willing to take things that far.

For now, there’s nothing left for him to do but buy-in and give Redick a chance to prove that he belongs as a coach in the league. Either way, the Lakers really need a win here. After whiffing on Davin Ham and being a play-in team for two straight years, the Lakers are on their last leg right now and any more mistakes threaten to bring the whole house down.

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