Anthony Davis wasn’t able to play on Tuesday in the Mavericks‘ first game against the Lakers since the blockbuster trade that sent Davis from Los Angeles to Dallas. But he was in the building and told Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times that he appreciated the tribute video the Lakers made for him and the love that the fans in L.A. showed him.
Davis also spoke about the experience of being traded without having any idea it was coming, a rarity for player with his résumé. Davis had been traded once before in his career, but in that case he asked the Pelicans to move him and knew for months that a deal was likely coming. After learning about the blockbuster sending him to Dallas, the big man immediately FaceTimed longtime teammate LeBron James, he told Turner.
“When it happened, I honestly didn’t know s–t,” Davis said. “(LeBron)’s been my running mate for six years … so the first thing I wanted to do was call him.
“… Obviously, I know there are going to be a lot of political things in the front office when they talk to me. The front office has to do what it has to do and obviously they’re going to do what’s best for the organization. So 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. So, my thing is, I’m gonna go to my counterpart who I’ve been running with and see what’s going on, get his reaction and that’s all it was. We had a conversation. That was it.
“Everybody’s saying nobody knew and all this other s–t. I just don’t believe it. But, hey man, I’m past that. I’m ready to move forward with Dallas, try to get a championship there with these guys. First off, getting back on the floor and get ready to compete. All the emotions, that s–t lasted that night when it was just a shock.”
Davis, who is currently on the shelf with an adductor strain, is scheduled to be reevaluated on March 6.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- As Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, there are a number of people in Dallas who are predicting Luka Doncic‘s “basketball demise” in the coming years due to his health history and social habits that include “a taste for beer and hookah.” But Doncic showed in Tuesday’s Lakers win over Dallas why the decision to trade him could age horribly, according to Amick, who says most people around the league continue to think that the Mavs made a “grave mistake.”
- After having been teammates with Doncic for two years, it was “awkward” but “fun” to face him as an opponent, Kyrie Irving told reporters after Tuesday’s game, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Irving spoke at length about his bond with Doncic and said it’s “one of those lifetime things” that goes beyond basketball. The Lakers’ newest star agreed. “Kai is my hermano,” Doncic said. “We go way beyond basketball. So, it was good to see those guys. Like I said, we went to the wars together, and it was really fun to see them all.”
- Mavericks forward Naji Marshall acknowledged in a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda that it has been a challenging few weeks for the team, which has had to deal with the aftermath of the Doncic trade and a series of injuries that have decimated the frontcourt. However, he remains bullish about the Mavs’ chances of contending this season. “I think we’re all still locked in,” Marshall said. “Everyone is still focused and not letting the outside noise derail the goals that we made up at the beginning of the season. And it’s still very possible to accomplish those. So I think that we’re in a great spot. … Stay tuned. It’s a long season. We are not done yet. Stay tuned.”
- Following Sunday’s game in Golden State, Mavericks sharpshooter Klay Thompson presented Dr. Richard Ferkel, who repaired Thompson’s Achilles tear in 2020, with a 2022 Warriors championship ring, as Amick relays (Twitter video link). Kalan Hooks of ESPN has the full story.
Amick just putting out his spin from the initial Mavs leaks/excuses to keep the views coming. Obviously a normal FO deciding to trade a top 5 player at age 25 would open it up to the rest of the league to see what the market is.
If it looks like collusion and feels like collusion, it’s collusion.
How is this collusion? What teams besides the Mavs and Lakers agreed to this trade?
I swear people post the most nonsensical stuff to try to sound clever.
He’ll be 26 Feb 28. Definitely great for Lakers to get him this age. Definitely great for NBA to have him in LA. Just like Fox in Sacramento. Team were not willing to go max money. Seems Mavs just wanted iy done and move on.
At 26 Luka can still change his ways. Imagine how good he’d be. If he took care of himself like Kobe or Bron. Players don’t run this. Owners do. I wouldn’t pay Luka 350 mill either. Would have asked for another pick though. Lakers only have to pay 250 mill. All the haters who constantly hate on player salaries. Should all be jumping for joy. Lakers have to move on from Bron. So this is a no brainer. Its why I would of gotten another pick from Lakers. Lakers are doing surprisingly well. So it will be interesting to see where this goes. I still see Mavs healthy. As a real contender. And with a rejuvenated and focused AD. They will have a couple yrs of contention.
AD will never be healthy. An out of shape and playing Luka is better than an always hurt and missing games AD.
The Mavs have zero years of contention with AD and Kyrie…
Both teams will be lotto bound soon enough. Mavs will last much longer tho. Luka will keep a team form winning a championship, just a better version of TWolves Kevin Love, if anyone remembers that hollow stat dude.
Kevin Love?!? Huh? Absolutely no comparison. Love never carried a team and never even finished on a second team All NBA team much less 5 time all NBA first team before his 27th birthday.
Luka is a top 5 player in the league hands down. The Mavs basically wrecked their future with the trade. You really think AD is going to improve as he heads into his mid-30s??? Christie is really the only asset that the Mavs got and he is a solid 7th man off the bench on a good team. Not a starter.
The trade was made to help boost ratings. Let’s face it, the NBA is struggling to find a new face and Luka on the Lakers is a good start.
If the Mavs were so concerned with his future health then why did they trade him for literally the most injury prone player in the league with exception to Zion and LaMelo??? Why wouldn’t they at least consider shopping him around to the highest bidder? The Kings would’ve given them Sabonis and various first round picks. The Rockets would’ve given up Sengun, first rounders, and possibly another young stud for him.
This deal has David Stern written all over it and we all know Nosferatu Silver was his understudy.
This trade better of made Nico a lot of money…
He’s never going to be respected enough to get another job once he gets fired from this one…