Anthony Davis spoke to reporters on Friday for the first time since suffering a stress injury in his right foot two weeks ago.

"Feeling a lot better, pain has subsided tremendously," Davis said. "I think the next step is [the foot] healing right now. I don't want to use timetables because that's a whole different thing, but it's healing pretty quickly.

"So when we get back to L.A., we'll do another image of the foot, and see how far it's healed."

The injury was identified before it could get worse. "The stress reaction (can lead to) a stress fracture, and that's a whole different ballgame," Davis said.

One option available to Davis would be to undergo a procedure to remove the bone spur. One doctor surmised that the bone spur was present in his foot since his college days at Kentucky more than a decade ago, it just hadn't caused him any problems.

"I don't like surgery," Davis said. "I feel like, if it can be avoided, then let's avoid it."

The Los Angeles Lakers are giving serious consideration to riding out the current season without making a major move if they can't find one that would make them a realistic championship contender, sources tell Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers turned around their season a few weeks ago when Anthony Davis began playing at an All-NBA level, but they have struggled since his injury.

Rob Pelinka said on media day that the Lakers were committed to maximizing the roster during the tenure of LeBron James.

The Lakers have tested the trade market by offering the expiring contract of Russell Westbrook and future first round picks in 2027 and 2029, but that package is unlikely to yield the type of move that turns the team into a contender. 

Following the Los Angeles Lakers loss at the Miami Heat, LeBron James spent some time musing about his future. Top of mind for James was that he's still playing to win.

"I'm a winner, and I want to win," James said. "And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion. That has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.

"And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It's not in my DNA anymore. So, we'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years."

When asked how long he'd continue to play, James didn't have a definitive answer.

"I don't have a number," James said. "I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that's up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I'll continue to put in the work."

Viewership for the NBA's Christmas Day slate was up 5% from last season, with the five games averaging a 1.8 rating with 4.31 million viewers.

The Bucks-Celtics matchup recorded the highest viewership in the day with 6.08 million viewers and a 2.25 rating. Viewership was up 17% from last year's equivalent game, with the Celtics win also representing the first time since 1995 that the most-watched Christmas Day did not feature Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. 

Three out of the five games registered a double-digit increase in viewership. The Grizzlies-Warriors and Lakers-Mavs were both down in ratings from their equivalent time slots last season.

With an average of 1.9 and 4.07 million viewers, the Sixers-Knicks was the most-watched Noon ET Christmas Day game since 2011.

The Suns-Nuggets was also the most-watched late-night Christmas game since 2015. 

The Indiana Pacers and Myles Turner have opened up discussions for a contract extension, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Pacers, who have $25 million in cap space, have discussed a renegotiation-and-extension deal with Turner's agent.

The team can offer Turner up to $19.1 million more on top of his current contract of $18 million this season for an individual max of $37.1 million. They could then drop his salary down in upcoming seasons.

Still at the initial phase of discussions, the two sides have until March 1 to reach a deal.

Sources add that the Pacers also remain open minded on the trade market, with the Lakers and Raptors having shown interest in Turner. 

Anthony Davis has had the pain in his foot subside over the past few days and there is hope he can avoid undergoing a procedure that would result in a longer absence.

Davis will miss his fourth straight game on Friday with what the Los Angeles Lakers are calling a "stress injury" in his right foot.

Davis is expected to rest for another seven to 10 days and have his foot reevaluated to see if he can return then.

The Los Angeles Lakers are likely to make a smaller deal that would involve at most one of their first-round picks following Anthony Davis' injury, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Davis will miss at least one month due to a right foot injury. 

The likeliest trade package would involve some combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and one of their first-round picks in 2027 or 2029, likely with a protection.

The Lakers are looking for a 3-and-D wing or a combo forward to play next to LeBron James and Davis, though they do not believe there is a player out there that would put the team in immediate contention. 

Some names to watch include Jae Crowder, Eric Gordon, Alec Burks, P.J. Washington, and Kelly Oubre Jr., according to sources. 

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In the wake of Anthony Davis being injured, and potentially out long-term, trade speculation has continued to ramp up for the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked about potential deals, Lakers star LeBron James said trades aren't something he's focused on.

“Not a question for me,” James said. “I have no idea. When I’m playing, I show up, prepare, go to work and get my guys ready to go win a basketball game. I play the game, I’m not in the front office, so we’ll see. But I’m focused on the game and us trying to win basketball games, especially when I’m out on the floor.”

On his way out of his media availability, James had some advice for the reporter who asked him about trades.

“Go ask (GM) Rob (Pelinka) those questions.”

The Lakers haven't released any information as to the nature of Davis' injury or how long he may be out. Reports are that Davis will miss up to a month, but what the injury is exactly has yet to be confirmed.