Charles Barkley expects Anthony Davis to establish his leadership for the Lakers, contemplates LeBron James' age

Anthony Davis and LeBron James are hoping to get the Los Angeles Lakers back into the playoffs. In order to accomplish that, NBA legend Charles Barkley is looking right at Anthony Davis.

Throughout his tenure with the Lakers, Davis has shown that he can be one of the top big men in the entire league. The problem is that AD has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career.

LeBron James has often been the engine that has made this Lakers team run. With James preparing to take part in his 20th season in the NBA, it's clear that he is going to need some help.

The hope is that Davis can finally take the reins and be a consistent force for this organization. When AD is on the court, there's no denying that he's a dominant force. In just 40 games last year, AD went on to average 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

On a recent episode of the "Dan Patrick Show," NBA legend Charles Barkley said that, despite how great LeBron is, Anthony Davis needs to be a "top-five player."

"LeBron, he's on the Mount Rushmore, one of my favorite people in NBA history. I got him, you know, right up there with Kobe, Magic, Bird, Bill Russell, and Wilt those guys. He's amazing, man. But he's 40 years old. It's 100% going to be on Anthony Davis, if he's a top-five player, they can do some damage."

Barkley believes if Davis doesn't dominate that "the Lakers gonna stink." He even doubled down during his segment saying that If AD is not a top-five player, "the Lakers are going to be mediocre at best."

"If he's not a top-five player, the Lakers gonna stink. I said the exact same thing last year. LeBron put out a tweet talking, 'I want you to keep the same energy you had opening night,' and 'I will have that same energy opening night.' If Anthony Davis is not a top-five player, the Lakers are going to be mediocre at best."

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How can Anthony Davis prove himself as a top 5 player in the league this season?

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis

While some might view Charles Barkley's comments on Anthony Davis as aggressive, they aren't entirely wrong. The Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2021-22 season with some high hopes. Those were quickly diminished due to injuries and inconsistent play on the court. The team went on to finish eleventh in the Western Conference standings, and the majority of that same roster is still in tact.

If the Lakers don't quickly bounce back, they are going to find themselves in another difficult situation. The key to the puzzle seems to be Davis. In his last two seasons with the Lakers, Davis has played a total of 76 games out of 164. It's always been about the health, not the talent, when it comes to the 29-year-old forward.

LeBron James has been outstanding, despite preparing to turn 38-years-old during the 2022-23 season. He's shown that he can still play at an elite level. But he's also shown that he can't be relied on to carry the entire load as he's done before. If the Lakers want to have any chance at shocking the basketball world and making a playoff push, it's going to have to be on the shoulders of AD.