Anthony Davis isn’t buying the Lakers’ explanation that “no one knew” about the trade that sent him to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić. In a rare interview with The Los Angeles Times, Davis talks about the crazy couple of days surrounding the trade, his conversations with LeBron James and what’s next for his new team.
The Trade That Shook the NBA
The trade also involved the Utah Jazz and sent ripples throughout the league. The Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The Lakers got Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. The Jazz got Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
For Davis, it was a shock. He found out about the trade via phone from Lakers VP Rob Pelinka after watching the Lakers beat the Knicks on February 1.
Davis Doesn’t Buy the “Nobody Knew” Excuse
When the trade was announced earlier this month, the news sent shockwaves through the league. Davis found out via a phone call from Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka after he watched the Lakers beat the Knicks on February 1. At the time, Davis was recovering from an abdominal strain at home in LA.
“I found out right after I texted my teammates to congratulate them on the win,” Davis said. “Then Rob called me and everything changed.”
The Lakers are saying everyone within the organization was blindsided by the trade, but Davis isn’t buying it. During his conversation with The Los Angeles Times, he admitted he texted LeBron James, his longest-tenured teammate in LA, for clarity.
“The front office has to do what it has to do and obviously they’re going to do what’s best for the organization,” Davis said. “But I don’t know if I ever got the real about any of it. I don’t know what’s true or what’s not coming from upstairs.”
Davis went to James—and not just as a teammate but as someone who has been through this before—to get some answers.
“Everybody’s saying nobody knew and all this other nonsense. I just don’t believe it,” Davis said. “But hey man, I’m past that. I’m ready to move on with Dallas and try to get a championship with these guys.”
The Emotional Rollercoaster
For Davis, the initial reaction to the trade was shock, disbelief and frustration. He described the night he found out about the trade as emotional—but temporary.
“All the emotions lasted that one night when it was just a shock,” Davis said. “After that I realized this is the business. My focus shifted to getting healthy, getting my family settled in Dallas and figuring out how we can win a championship.”
Davis suffered an adductor strain in his Mavericks debut—a injury that has kept him out since February 8. Despite the injury he’s optimistic.
“Obviously the bad injury, but in that time they saw me they realized how good we can be when we’re all healthy,” Davis said. “We’ll get back to that.”
Dallas Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Davis
During the Mavericks game at Crypto.com Arena on February 25, the Lakers put together a nice little video tribute for Davis. The video showed his time with the franchise, including the 2020 NBA championship he won with LeBron.
“It meant a lot,” Davis said. “I gave everything I had to that organization and they gave me a ring. I’ll always treasure that.”
But Davis was clear that his focus is now on Dallas. With the Mavericks he gets to build something.
“They wanted who they wanted. They did what they had to do,” Davis said of the Lakers. “Now I have a wife and kids to worry about and I’m figuring out how I get them to Dallas and get them adjusted to that.”
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