Davis' arrival has given the Lakers a sense of calm after a tumultuous offseasonNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The Lakers on Saturday introduced Anthony Davis at a news conference at their practice facility, where GM Rob Pelinka "lauded Davis' ability and shared a vision of building around him for years to come," according to Tania Ganguli of the L.A. TIMES. But the "calm and charismatic" Davis "stayed in the moment." He "promised nothing except that he would spend the next year doing everything he could to win a championship" (L.A. TIMES, 7/14). In L.A., Dylan Hernandez wrote the "smart money points to Davis being a Laker for the foreseeable future." However, Davis can "opt out of his deal at the end of the upcoming season." He "might as well keep open his options and not make any promises he might break" (L.A. TIMES, 7/14). The L.A. TIMES' Ganguli noted Pelinka "set an expectation" for this upcoming season that the Lakers "haven't publicly committed to in years." Pelinka: "For us, anything short of a championship is not a success" (L.A. TIMES, 7/13). In L.A., Kyle Goon wrote if all works out for the Lakers, it "will be a validation of the general manager who has found himself on the pointy end of offseason stories that have cast him in a harsh light." If they fail again, Pelinka could "feel his critics tightening around him" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/13).
QUITE THE TURNAROUND: In L.A., Bill Plaschke wrote the Lakers on Saturday were a "portrait of peace" just "two months after a news conference on this exact spot portrayed a team in chaos." The Lakers "finally celebrated what they actually do have." Plaschke: "For once, it was a good day to be a Laker." Pelinka called Davis' news conference a "landmark event." Davis, who portrayed himself as "humble and charming" on Saturday, "could have a Shaq-size impact on the future of this franchise." Two months ago, there was a "great question about who was actually running this team." But on Saturday, that question was "definitively answered" -- it is LeBron James and Davis and their agent Rich Paul. Pelinka said he, Davis and James "talked so much about, 'Hey, how do we want to optimize that (cap) space?'" Pelinka said to Davis, "I mean, how many calls did we have between me, you and LeBron?" Davis answered, "It was like every day. On the hour" (L.A. TIMES, 7/14).
TIME TO GET TO WORK: The AP wrote after "months of upheaval around his departure" from the Pelicans, Davis is "looking forward to years of success and stability on the West Coast" (AP, 7/13). Davis said, "I knew I wasn't gonna sign an extension and that my time in New Orleans was definitely coming to an end." He added, "I thought doing it at that time was definitely going to be beneficial for myself and for the organization to get the best package available, so that way the organization is still set" (ESPN.com, 7/14). In DC, Ben Golliver wrote Davis' introduction on Saturday "marked the end of a costly, months-long courtship and the dawn of a promising partnership" with James (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 7/13).
