Anthony Davis injury update: Lakers star to begin ramp-up, optimistic he can return in a few weeks, per report

Davis has been out since Dec. 16 with a stress injury in his right foot

Anthony Davis has been out with a stress injury to his right foot for several weeks now, but he appears to be making progress toward a return. According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Davis plans to begin the ramp-up process for a return to play this week when the Lakers return to Los Angeles. There is optimism within the team that the ramp-up process could only take a few weeks, which would potentially allow Davis to return before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. The pain in his right foot continues to subside, according to McMenamin, and overall, the news appears to be quite positive.

Davis initially suffered his injury in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 16, and has been out ever since. The Lakers have stepped up in his absence, though, and have now won five games in a row to go along with an 8-5 overall record since the injury, including the Denver game when Davis got hurt. 

Thomas Bryant has played extremely well in his absence, and now the team needs to decide if he should keep his starting spot when Davis returns. That would move Davis down to his preferred power forward position.

To this point, Davis has been limited to spot shooting, but the ramp-up process "will involve aquatic pool workouts and running on an altered-gravity treadmill to keep the big man's full weight off his foot while it continues to heal," according to McMenamin. 

Davis was playing like an MVP candidate before he got hurt, but injuries have been a serious problem for him over the past few years. He gave the Lakers just 76 combined games over the past two seasons following their 2020 championship, and as such, the Lakers will be cautious in getting him back onto the court. If he isn't available in the spring, their postseason hopes will be dashed completely.