At a time when the Lakers’ nation is still recovering from the disappointing playoff exit, LeBron James took a trip down memory lane. The time when the superstar carried the Purple & Gold side for the championship in 2020, and Anthony Davis was still on the team.

Speaking on Steve Nash’s podcast Mind the Game on May 21, the duo discussed the ongoing Conference Finals exhibition. James shared his insights on the defensive impact Victor Wembanyama has on his teammates, allowing his guards to go the distance and cramp up their opponents.

And immediately, it took Akron Hammer back to the Lakers’ glory days. “I played with Anthony Davis, you know, who was one of the best defensive players I’ve played with ever in my life,” he said. “It gave us all so much more freedom.”

While LeBron James didn’t exactly specify the year, he listed the players who were a part of the championship season. He explained how players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, and Rajon Rondo could go extra aggressive on the ball handlers, as AD protected the rim. 

James added, “Go on a gamble, press up, and a guy beats us, there’s nothing to worry about when you know AD is behind you. You good. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” 

This defensive setup became the backbone of the Lakers’ 2020 title run. The team finished third overall in the regular season with a 106.3 while running big lineups with Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee, and Dwight Howard. 

Even one of the biggest offense machines, Nikola Jokić, considered the 2020 Lakers as the toughest defense he had endured early in his career, as per his former teammate, Michael Porter Jr. 

He highlighted the double big lineups and said, “It was the bubble right when they (Lakers) had three-four big guys, when they had AD, JaVale (McGee), [Dwight Howard]. That’s kind of like what Minnesota did, they put (Karl-Anthony) Towns and Rudy (Gobert) kind of behind him.”

Do the Lakers have a similar freedom now? 

The Lakers, in a surprise move, traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in 2025 for 25-year-old all-star center Luka Doncic. And ever since, the team has taken a hit on the rim protection. Although Jaxson Hayes managed for the time being, the team expected it to improve ‌post-DeAndre Ayton trade.

However, that wasn’t the case. In return, the team witnessed a stark contrast from its championship season. While the former No.1 pick stabilized the front court, he struggled to protect the rim and control rebounds. Moreover, in the team’s sweep against the OKC, Ayton struggled to produce offensively, averaging 7.3 ppg and 7.8 rpg. 

Definitely a setback in a series where the team missed Luka Doncic’s offense. Moreover, with Ayton struggling to protect the rim, it adds additional pressure on the rest of the defenders. It restricts them from going aggressively against the opponents.

The situation went out of control to a point where Coach JJ Redick couldn’t hide his frustration. In a sequence in Game 3, Ayton missed three consecutive defensive rebounds, allowing OKC multiple second-chance attempts. In response, Redick rushed to the bench, and he appeared to say, “I can’t play him.”

Now that the Lakers are out of the postseason, staring at the offseason with a lot of work to do. Firstly, they don’t have confirmation on Bron’s return, and Rui Hachimura has entered free agency. The team is literally in a rebuild phase. LeBron, in the same podcast, revealed his criteria for returning to the floor. He wants to focus on winning and not be part of a rebuilding team. It raises questions about whether Bron would continue with the Lakers or find a new team. Or may as well team up with Anthony Davis.