If you bought a LeBron James Lakers jersey last season, it might already be out of style.
James won’t wear No. 23 next season, instead giving it to Anthony Davis, his new teammate and fellow Klutch Sports client, according to Yahoo Sports. The gesture was reportedly made to make Davis feel comfortable, and seems to have worked.
Davis waived his $4 million trade kicker Thursday afternoon in an unexpected move, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That opens up enough cap space for the Lakers to sign a third player to a max contract, a huge key to turning the team into a title contender.
Kawhi Leonard will meet with the Lakers when free agency opens, along with the Clippers, per Yahoo Sports. Wojnarowski reports the Raptors will get the final meeting with Leonard. If the Lakers manage to entice him to come to L.A., Davis waiving his kicker will be a huge reason as to why.
Of course, it’s impossible to draw a line from one to the other, but the happier Davis is in Los Angeles, the better things will be for the Lakers. He was “extremely grateful” for James giving him the number, per Yahoo.
As for LeBron himself, it’s yet unknown what number he plans to wear next year. While with the Heat from 2010-14, James wore No. 6, but otherwise has donned 23 throughout his career.


