Anthony Davis Breaks Silence on Family Struggles Post-Trade as Major LeBron James Wish Emerges
USA Today via Reuters
Anthony Davis was at home in Los Angeles on the fateful night of February 1. The Lakers, on the other hand, were up against the Knicks some 3000 miles away at Madison Square Garden. Davis watched his team seal the win. He sent congratulatory messages to his teammates and sat down for a movie night with his wife. An hour after, his phone rang.
It was Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka on the other side. And he conveyed to him the news of his trade to the Mavericks. “I was shocked,” Davis, wearing a full Mavericks sweatsuit, said days later. This was after Dallas held its morning shootaround at Wells Fargo Center before facing the host Philadelphia 76ers. “I had no idea. I had just sent the team a text about congratulations on the win against the Knicks, big win…And then, found out like an hour later I was no longer with the team.” The move meant starting everything afresh, not only professionally, but personally as well.
“It’s a huge adjustment. It’s just not what people see on TV when you go…. It’s hard to find your footing in a new city,” Sonya Curry, mother of Warriors star Stephen Curry and ex-wife of former player Dell Curry once highlighted the effect that a trade can have on someone other than a player. For Davis, the sudden uprooting of the family came at the heels of another shock just weeks back. According to reports, Anthony Davis and the Lakers were in Texas before mid-January to play against the Mavs. It was there that Davis got to know that his family had to evacuate because of the California Wildfires.
“Obviously, you have kids and a wife and started freaking out. You get home and you kind of see it as we’re flying in and you kind of hear about…” Davis had recalled how worrying such times can be. After the trade, a move to Dallas again meant some time away from his family. As soon as he learned about the trade, he was urged to get to Philadelphia to meet his new teammates. With
On March 8, Davis sat down for an exclusive conversation with Dana Larson, his first sit-down interview since coming to Dallas. Larson asked him how the past couple of weeks have been for him. “It’s been entertaining. It’s been a whirlwind,” said Davis. Well, it hasn’t been a whirlwind for him alone. Player trades often overlook personal aspects, including family and team dynamics. AD mentioned the same as the conversation went ahead. “I think that’s not only for me but my family as well. My team, that’s also, you know, with me, travels with me. But we’re excited about the new opportunity,” he stated.
“The shock factor is what kind of just kind of had me wow move but moving right now, it’s behind me and ready to give back on the floor,” Davis added. Indeed, performing up to his standards is probably the only thing that might to some extent calm down Dallas that is still bleeding with the wound of losing their beloved star Luka Doncic. So, February 8, the day the Mavs played their first home game after the trade, was a test for Davis, and he did deliver.
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In the Mavs’ 116-105 victory over Houston, Davis finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in his 31 minutes of play. At one point during the first quarter, Davis turned to the crowd and yelled, “I’m here!” during a timeout. The fans gave him a standing ovation. “I just wanted to be a guy that they can rely on, a guy that’s gonna bring energy and kind of reassure them like, ‘Yeah, I understand who we got rid of,’ but also want to give the fans hope, and I think I did that,” Davis told the LA Times a few days ago. However, the night ended with Davis suffering an abductor injury and that again brings back the obvious question.
Did Dallas get the short end of the stick in the deal? There is no indication when Davis might return to the floor to fulfil his promise to Dallas as of now. A recent re-evaluation of Davis’ left adductor strain showed that he “is improving daily and has therefore been cleared for more dynamic on-court movements,” according to the Mavericks. While Davis still develops his ties with the Mavs, his bond with LeBron James remains as strong as ever.
During the Mavs’ last matchup against the Lakers at the Crypto.Com arena, LeBron and Davis were seen chatting with each other, with their mouths covered. Just like two longtime buddies having some secret conversation we aren’t a part of! Interestingly, Davis had already predicted James’s latest historic achievement. A special conversation between the duo just surfaced from their times together donning the purple and gold.
On Tuesday, Lakers veteran superstar, LeBron James entered the game against the New Orleans Pelicans with 49,999 points to his name. The 40-year-old was a single point away from achieving something no one has ever done in the league’s history. All it took was a clean shot from beyond the arc to take him past the 50,000-point mark. This shot made sure LeBron etched his name in the league’s history yet again by earning another accolade in his remarkable career.
Everyone knew LeBron was on the brink of history but Anthony Davis saw it coming long before most. In a newly surfaced video from the Lakers locker room, the two veterans are seen having a conversation about breaking records. In the video from Netflix’s show ‘Starting 5‘, James speaks about not letting anyone know when he decides to call it quits. The camera then cuts to Davis saying “He’ll get 45.” something LeBron achieved not too long after that.
“If he gets 46, s**t, might as well get 50,” Davis added, manifesting his teammate crossing the fifty-thousand mark. Well, a year later, Davis’s prediction became reality. It just goes to show the sense of camaraderie between the two players and how it transcends beyond basketball. Anthony Davis might have left Los Angeles and LeBron James might not have him by his side. But there will always be mutual love and respect between the two superstars.
