The Los Angeles Lakers have limped to a disappointing start to the 2023-2024 season based on the princely sum of talent they acquired this past offseason. An injury to team centerpiece Anthony Davis has caused a tremendous amount of stress for the team heading into its in-season tournament showdown vs. the Phoenix Suns.

A trade for a former Lakers fan favorite has been mentioned as a possible means to jump-start the team. A museum in Akron, Ohio dedicated to superstar LeBron James has been announced which has fans talking.

Lakers' Davis Still Not Certain on Return 

On Thursday, ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin shared an update on Davis's health that could be incredibly frustrating for multitudes of Los Angeles Lakers fans hoping for something better.

“The Lakers list Anthony Davis (left hip) and Jaxson Hayes (left ankle) as questionable for Friday’s game in PHX, the first group-play game of LAL’s in-season tournament schedule,” McMenamin wrote.

The Lakers are 3-5 on the young season and one half of a game out of the eighth playoff spot. What originally felt like a march to championship glory with the offseason additions of Gabe Vincent from the Miami Heat and Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets now feels like a case of deja vu in light of Davis's injury situation.

Suns Provide Challenging First Game for Lakers 

The Phoenix Suns have dealt with injuries and inconsistencies of their own. They remain 4-4 on the season. The return of star guard Bradley Beal recently gives the Suns a chance at a legitimate Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Beal, a trio of heavy artillery pieces from the perimeter the Lakers will have a hard time matching up against.

For the Lakers to take home a win on Friday, Davis's health looms large. Despite his “questionable” status, Davis appears likely to play as of another recent update.

The question now is whether he's ready to put it all on the line for the in-season tournament, a new addition to the schedule that fans and players alike still seem a bit confused about in the early going.