The NBA world is still reeling from the shock of the Lakers trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, but one NBA insider has shed light on how the Lakers brass was really feeling about Davis behind the scenes.
Just one week ago, Davis had a sit down interview with ESPN and was practically begging the Lakers for another big to play alongside so they could win another chip.
Now he’s packing his bags for Dallas.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick said AD’s words were not well received.
“Team sources say the public complaints caused serious frustration all the way to the top of the Lakers franchise,” Amick said. “What’s more, there was little confidence that the sort of moves James and Davis wanted were possible on the open market.”
Beyond that, there were people at the purple and gold who doubted whether Davis could be relied on as a “1-A” player moving forward.
“Let’s go back to that key word for a moment: alpha,” Amick wrote. “While Davis had no shortage of fans within the Lakers’ walls, there was also a strong sense that he wasn’t ‘1-A’ material. League sources say there were concerns about his durability and availability and a belief that he could never truly be counted on as a top option in the future. And while his approval rating was high, it had not been forgotten how — in those days before the decision was made to fire former coach Darvin Ham in early May 2024 — the known threat of a possible Davis trade request loomed so large when it came to their internal calculus. The pressure on that front had been rising for quite some time.”
As shocking as it is and the concerns around Doncic’s conditioning and injuries, Amick says he’s the “type of player who could put the Lakers back on the proverbial map for the next decade.”
READ MORE: NBA World Reacts to Craziest Trade Ever: Luka For Anthony Davis