One of the craziest things about the trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks that swapping Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis is that basically no one knew the deal was going down. Neither the Lakers or Mavericks wanted anything to leak and even Utah Jazz executive Danny Ainge, the third team needed to make the trade go through, was kept in the dark about the specifics until the last minute.
LeBron James has claimed that he had no idea, as has his and Davis’ agent Rich Paul as all sides have maintained that only those who absolutely had to know, did. But Davis isn’t so sure that’s the case.
In an interview with Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times, Davis recounted the emotions he went through when learning of the trade before adding that he doesn’t believe that nobody knew the trade was coming:
“When it happened, I honestly didn’t know s—,” Davis recalled while standing in the hallways of Crypto.com Arena following the Lakers’ 107-99 win. “He’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—. 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— lasted that night when it was just a shock.”
Even though he didn’t reveal exactly who he feels might have known, Davis isn’t alone in those thoughts. But in an era where basically every bit of news leaks beforehand, the fact that the Lakers and Mavericks were able to keep this secret remains impressive. Regardless, Davis insists he is moving on with his new team and focused on getting his family settled in Dallas:
“They wanted who they wanted. They did what they had to do,” Davis said. “I don’t know if they had to, but it’s what they wanted to do. I moved on. I got a wife and kids to worry about, you know what I’m saying? And I’m figuring out how I’m going to get them to Dallas and get adjusted to that.
“It’s over with, and I’m moving on with my new team and what we got going on.”
Much like Doncic, it isn’t just a matter of on-court things Davis must figure out, but also the logistics of uprooting his family and figuring out a new life in a new city. It is a very stressful time made even more difficult by the demands of the NBA season.
Exactly who all knew about this Doncic-Davis trade won’t be revealed anytime soon, but now the Lakers and Mavericks are moving forward with a new outlook on their future.
Lakers’ LeBron James happy to see Anthony Davis receive love in return to L.A.
Even though he didn’t suit up due to injury, Anthony Davis did make his first return to L.A. since the trade as the Lakers defeated the Mavericks. And the Lakers put together a beautiful tribute video for Davis, with LeBron James enjoying all of the deserved love and recognition Davis received.
“I definitely saw it. I watched it from start to finish,” LeBron said of the Davis tribute video. “We know what AD was to this franchise and what he did for this franchise from the moment we got him to hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy to All-Star nods to winning the In-Season Tournament in the first inaugural In-Season Tournament and many, many dominant nights. Not only in this building but also on the road as well. Obviously our friendship goes without saying. He’s one of my best friends and it was great to see him get that recognition and get that moment.”
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