Anthony Davis reportedly made the Los Angeles Lakers unhappy with some of his public comments before he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks as part of Sunday’s Luka Doncic blockbuster trade.
Just after midnight on Sunday, the Lakers acquired Doncic from the Mavericks in a three-team trade involving the Utah Jazz. Davis was the centerpiece of the return for the defending Western Conference champions.
The blockbuster move was so stunning that ESPN’s Shams Charania had to emphasize in multiple X/Twitter posts that the trade was real. Some even wondered if Charania’s account had been hacked, but other insiders quickly confirmed the trade as well.
There wasn’t any serious indication that Anthony Davis was on the trade block, or that the Mavs wanted to trade a top-five player on the planet in the midst of his prime. That’s what makes the trade stunning in every single aspect.
According to a report from Sam Amick of The Athletic, folks in the Lakers organization were unhappy when Davis publicly told reporters he wanted the team to acquire a new center last month:
“Team sources say the public complaints caused serious frustration all the way to the top of the Lakers franchise. What’s more, there was little confidence that the sort of moves James and Davis wanted were possible on the open market.”
LeBron James sends a message to Anthony Davis ❤️
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 2, 2025
Damn. pic.twitter.com/MYONEXTNrx
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The Mavericks have performed well below expectations this season, with a 26-24 record heading into this week’s slate of action. Nobody thought Doncic would be part of the changes, but only time will tell if the superstar swap works out in Dallas.
Anthony Davis Will Go Down As A Legend In Laker Land
It ended much earlier than expected, but the Davis era was unquestionably a success in La La Land. He led the Purple and Gold to an NBA championship in 2020 and a surprise Western Conference Finals appearance in 2023 as a No. 7 seed.
