Lakers News: Anthony Davis' Target Return Date Revealed by NBA Insider

He has a target date set to return to the court.

Anthony Davis has been out since December 16 with a stress injury in his right foot. He's been out for over a month, and the Lakers have missed his presence on both ends of the court. Davis was playing at an MVP-level before he went down, and the quicker he gets back, the better chance the Lakers have of making a win-now move to push for a postseason spot.

On Tuesday, NBA insider Shams Charania provided an update on Davis' timeline, including a target date that he has set to try to make his long-awaited return.

"Lakers star Anthony Davis is aiming to return to the lineup by early February, within a handful of games before the All-Star break, league sources say. Davis has been sidelined since Dec. 16 due to a stress reaction and bone spur injury in his right foot. Davis had played like an MVP candidate prior to the injury, with season averages of 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.1 blocks and a career-high 59.4 percent field goal shooting."

Early February would be a huge boost to the Lakers, who currently sit at 20-24 and as the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference. If Davis returns February 2, the Lakers' first game of the month, he will be out for just eight more games.

The Lakers have a bit of a difficult schedule to close out January, however, including games against the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks. That could be a very difficult stretch for the AD-less Lakers, but if they can hang around .500, they could be in perfect position to make a playoff push in February and beyond.

Either way, it's nice to know that there's a set date Davis is hoping to return by. We now know that we're getting close to seeing him back on the court for the Purple and Gold.