The NBA is still dealing with the shockwave sent by the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline. The Lakers pulled off a heist, acquiring Luka Doncic in exchange for Anthony Davis in the middle of the night on Feb. 1 and the ramifications are still being felt by both teams.
While Doncic is adjusting to his new role in Los Angeles, Davis is recovering from an injury and accommodating to his new surroundings with the Mavericks. It’s part of one of the most surprising trades in NBA history but may have not been unfounded thanks to a revelation by Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.
Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Says Anthony Davis Was Unhappy Before Luka Doncic Trade
Buss shed light on the events leading up to the blockbuster trade in an interview with NPR. When asked about how the Lakers made the deal, Buss admitted they gave up a lot to get Doncic but made the deal because Davis was unhappy in Los Angeles.
“Anthony Davis was complaining about where he was being played and wasn’t happy,” Buss said. “So I think this was a positive for both teams. They got what they were looking for. We got what we were looking for. And I didn’t realize it was going to be international news like it was but that’s the power of the Laker brand and its ability to draw big names who want to write their own chapter in Lakers history.”
While the comments are shocking, there were some hints before the deal went down. Davis voiced concerns to team executives that he preferred to play power forward over center and implored general manager Rob Pelinka to acquire a true center ahead of the trade deadline in comments to ESPN’s Shams Charania in January.
“I think we need another big,” Davis said. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4 and having a big out there. We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale [McGee] and Dwight [Howard]. I think our 19-20 team was the perfect construction of a team. We had shooters, we had dogs defensively, we had scorers, everybody knew their role. We are [a couple of pieces away]. I feel like we really are.”
Davis doubled down in comments to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha the following day.
“Defensively, just bringing another big out there, we’ve seen it with [Jaxson Hayes], we’re a little bit more disruptive,” Davis said. “Offensively, it just allows me to float around a little bit more. I only started playing the 5 in 2021. I’d have stretches, but I was primarily a 4. My whole career I’ve been playing to 4 and we’ve seen how I play. I just feel a little bit more effective… But the front office knows that. I’ve told them every year I’ve been here, so it’s nothing new.”
The situation clearly reached a boiling point if the Lakers made the decision to trade Davis. But it also may have been easier knowing they were trading in a 31-year-old All-Star for a 25-year-old potential face of the franchise.
While Buss may be correct that both sides got what they wanted, the Lakers have had far better results than the Mavericks. Davis has played one game before being sidelined with a left adductor strain and may be done for the season after Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in Monday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the surging Lakers riding a seven-game winning streak and sitting in second place in the Western Conference, it appears that pleasing Davis was the right move. And it could be one that helps them win the NBA title.