When Team USA named its 20-man training camp roster for the 2019 World Cup last month, Anthony Davis‘ name was on that list. However, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the new Lakers star will remove his name from consideration for USA Basketball’s World Cup roster.
As Haynes explains, Davis won’t participate in training camp with Team USA because he wants to spend the bulk of his offseason preparing to attempt a championship run with his new team. The former Pelicans big man remains committed to playing in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, sources tell Haynes.
Davis, a gold medalist in 2012 (Olympics) and 2014 (World Cup), will still attend Team USA’s training camp next month to support his teammates, per Haynes. It’s not clear if USA Basketball has a 20th man lined up to replace AD — the club will eventually pare that group down to 12 players for the World Cup itself.
Here’s more on the Lakers and Davis:
- In a conversation with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Davis said that Lakers GM Rob Pelinka was calling him every “30 to 45 minutes” during free agency. “Rob would call me: ‘AD, what you think about him?’ ‘All right, cool,'” Davis said. “Right back, ‘AD, you know, this is what is going on with him.’ ‘All right, cool. All right.’ Sometimes I had to tell him, like, ‘Rob, I’m in the movies.’ He’d be, like, ‘All right, well, call me as soon as you get out.’ But we’re trying to put the best team around us, and I think he did a great job of doing it.”
- Speaking to Arash Markazi of The Los Angeles Times, veteran center Dwight Howard – who technically remains under contract with the Grizzlies for now – said he wouldn’t mind playing in Los Angeles again, either for the Lakers or Clippers. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do love L.A.,” Howard said. “Staples Center is going to be rocking this season.”
- The Lakers are hiring veteran assistant coach Phil Handy to join Frank Vogel‘s staff, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). Handy has appeared in five consecutive NBA Finals, having coached in Cleveland before joining Toronto for the 2018/19 season.
- Talen Horton-Tucker‘s new two-year, minimum-salary deal with the Lakers is fully guaranteed, a source tells Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link).
If Dwight liked LA so much, why’d he leave a perfect opportunity?
That’s right I forgot he was afraid of Kobe
No one in LA wants Dwight
Or maybe Kobe wasn’t exactly making life easier for Howard? Why I assume it was just on Howard? You really think Howard was “scared” of Kobe. Kobe is mentally tough on the court. He wants no smoke off of it nor should he.
Because everywhere Howard has gone, he’s looked scared of the alpha. That’s why. If you bounce around and there’s always a story about you, it can’t be everyone else.
Or maybe Kobe wasn’t exactly making life easier for Howard? Why I assume it was just on Howard? You really think Howard was “scared” of Kobe. Kobe is mentally tough on the court. He wants no smoke off of it nor should he.
Isn’t this Davis admitting to tampering by Pelinka? Because the trade wasn’t made official until July 6th.
haha @ kyle.
we din du nuffin.
The trade was already agreed to, even if it wasn’t “official.” Plus, Rob and AD had discussions about other free agent players. It’s only considered tampering if you discuss players who are under contract with another team.
No actual LAL fan wants Dwight back..