Los Angeles Lakers: The 5 best bets to be Anthony Davis stoppers

2. Bam Adebayo

During the two regular-season meetings between LA and the Miami Heat, Davis was a combined 6-of-14 from the field with Bam Adebayo as his closest defender.

The presence of Adebayo was what gave the Heat hope in their quest to upset the Lakers in the NBA Finals. A true 1-through-5 defender with timely instincts and a relentless motor, the All-Defensive Second Team selection was as good a first-line of defense for Davis as Miami could have before he missed Games 2 and 3 with a neck injury.

Even while slightly impaired coming off his injury, Adebayo still forced AD into 7-of-19 shooting across the four games he appeared in.

Miami never asked Bam to shutdown AD by himself. Beating a superstar is never that simple. But it’s a plan that can be loosely followed in the coming year independent of whatever changes are made in free agency.

Adebayo is only 23 years old having just wrapped up his first season as the full-time starter. An All-Star who finished second in Most Improved voting is a high starting point. After splitting time between the two frontcourt spots during the regular season, imagine the defensive heights he can reach in due time as Miami’s long-term man in the middle.