Los Angeles Lakers’ off-season recruit Anthony Davis says he will consider his career a failure if he doesn’t win the NBA Championship. Davis joined the Lakers ahead of the 2019-20 season after seven years with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The six-time All-Star has only competed in the playoffs twice and New Orleans never offered the opportunity to mount a serious Championship challenge, but Davis feels the Lakers could be genuine contenders next year despite missing out on the postseason last time out.

“I don’t think I have a failure that I’ve had yet,” the 26-year-old told ESPN. “Obviously at the end of my career if I don’t win a Championship that would be, I would feel, that’s one of my biggest failures. But right now I still have a lot to do in this world on and off the court.

“So I don’t feel like I’ve failed in anything. I think I just continue to do it over until I succeed at it.” The Lakers have made some big additions, with DeMarcus Cousins and Danny Green also making the move to LA.

The Lakers are 3.40 to win the Western Conference outright next season and 5.00 to claim the NBA Championship. The Los Angeles Clippers are the 4.33 favourites to win the Championship, while Eastern Conference pair Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics can be backed at 5.50 and 23.00 respectively.