Anthony Davis said he didn't believe “no one knew” about the massive trade between Dallas and Luka Donsic in the Lakers organization before rocking the NBA earlier this month.
During an interview with Los Angeles TimesDavis recalled that he reached out to LeBron James, the longest expanded Lakers teammate.
“The front office has to do what they have to do and obviously they're going to do the best for the organization. So I don't know if I've ever gotten something 'real' about it,” said the Mavericks big man. “I don't know what's true or what's not. So I'm going to go to my counterpart. [James] I saw who I was running with and what was going on, and got his response, and that was it. We had a conversation. That's all.
“Everyone says no one knew. I don't believe it. But hey guy, I'm past it. I'm ready to move forward with Dallas. Try winning the championship with these guys. First, get back to the floor and get ready to compete. All the emotions continued that night when it was just a shock.”
Davis understands it as a “business nature” and adds that he focuses on getting healthy after suffering from adductor muscles, ensuring his wife and children settle in Dallas.
Davis said he learned he was trading on a phone call from Lakers basketball operations vice president Rob Perinka, who is recuperating from his abdominal stock, after seeing the Lakers beat the Knicks in New York from his home in Los Angeles on February 1.
It came right after he texted his teammates to congratulate him on the victory.
“They wanted the person they wanted. They did what they had to do,” Davis said. “I don't know if they had to do, but that's what they wanted to do. I moved on. I made my wife and kids worried, do you know what I'm saying? And I'm going to take them to Dallas and think about how to adapt to it.
The Lakers praised Davis for helping to bring the franchise championship with James in the 2020 NBA season – Tribute Video During LA's 107-99 victory with the Mavericks on Tuesday.
The seismic trade, which also involved jazz, has shaken the NBA world to its core.
Along with Doncic, Mavericks traded Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris for Los Angeles in a three-team deal with Davis, Max Christie and three-team deal.
Utah received the 2025 second round pick, Jalen Hood-Schifino, via the Clippers and Mavericks' 2025 second round pick.
Davis scored 26 points and 16 rebounds before suffering adduct injuries in his Mavericks debut, a 116-105 victory over the Rockets on February 8th.
“It's clearly an unfortunate injury, but then they saw me and they realized how good we can do when we're completely healthy,” Davis said. “We're going to go back to that, so it has something to do with my merely feeling of wanting to show the team why Nico did what he did.”
