'I just try to be that leader,' Anthony Davis plan to other two Lakers big revealed

Since training camp started for the LA Lakers, Anthony Davis has been in constant communication with Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes, the centers the front office signed after the superstar requested help for the five positions.

Seeing the trio of big men together was a common occurrence during training camp. Davis, fondly recalling the camaraderie -- and interior effectiveness -- that he shared with JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard during the 2019-20 championship season, has intentionally tried to recreate that dynamic with Wood and Hayes.

"I just try to be that leader," Davis told ESPN. “Guys come over, sometimes we watch football ... bring the family, whatever. ... Just trying to do things like that just to show to the guys, like, 'I'm here for y'all. Whatever y'all need. My house is always open.'”

What Anthony Davis is looking forward to of Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes with the team is to have the kind of help he had in 2020. AD wants to play less center, so preparing Wood and Hayes to play minutes there will allow the star more time at power forward. Wood and Hayes, both inked to veteran minimum deals, will want to take advantage of the Lakers' platform and up their market value and need playing time to do so. It's a win-win situation for LA.

Darvin Ham understands Davis wanting to play more as PG and less as the team's 5

The concession by Ham to limit Davis' minutes at center as the coach begins his second year on the Lakers' sideline is a significant one, the first thing that needed to happen to prove the organization is truly a willing collaborator with its stars. The Lakers acted on Davis' offseason input, landing two-year deals with both Hayes, in July, and Wood, in September. (Each has a player option for the second year.) "I don't get caught up in it," Ham told ESPN when asked about the continuing back and forth between Davis and the team's decision-makers about his preferred position. "I know what he means about wanting to have his skill set diversified on the floor. I get that part, and we are on the same page."