Dallas Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis was all smiles as he celebrated a 101-92 victory against the Orlando Magic, enjoying the moment with his children in the locker room. Having just returned to action, Davis expressed his happiness about playing again and adjusting to his new team following the blockbuster trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.
During his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2019 to 2025, Davis averaged impressive statistics, including 24.8 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He also secured an NBA championship in 2020. Though the trade to Dallas for Luka Doncic was unexpected, Davis has embraced his new role and is enjoying the transition.
Davis admitted that the trade caught him off guard, with the first 48 hours being particularly overwhelming. Understanding Doncic’s significance to the Mavericks, he was unsure how his new teammates would react. However, as he settled in, he developed a strong bond with the team, which has contributed to his positive outlook.
Davis Battles Injury Setbacks While Aiming to Help Mavericks’ Playoff Push
Since joining the Mavericks, Davis has played limited minutes due to an abdominal injury. Despite this, he has already showcased his talent, scoring 26 points with 17 rebounds in his debut game. Unfortunately, his injury flared up again, forcing him to miss six weeks, further compounding the team’s injury struggles.
Anthony Davis (NBA)
Davis’ absence coincided with multiple injuries on the Mavericks roster, including season-ending ones for Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum. Despite these setbacks, the team continues to push for a playoff spot. Davis opted to return to action instead of sitting out the remainder of the season, believing his presence could aid the team’s push.
Davis recalled the severity of his abdominal injury, describing the intense pain and mobility issues he faced. Initially believing it was a minor strain, an MRI confirmed the extent of the damage. Though surgery was not required, recovery took longer than anticipated, impacting his rhythm and conditioning.
Davis Reflects on Injuries, Transition, and Facing His Former Team
Davis shared his reaction to Irving’s season-ending ACL tear, expressing his concern when it happened. He acknowledged the series of injuries the Mavericks have suffered and emphasized the importance of supporting injured teammates through recovery. Davis commended Irving’s positive mindset as he begins rehabilitation.
Adjusting to his new team while being sidelined was one of the toughest aspects of the trade for Davis. He also mentioned struggling to find a permanent home in Dallas, adding to his transitional challenges. However, he remains optimistic about his future with the Mavericks.
Davis has not yet fully processed the emotional aspect of playing against his former team on April 9. He acknowledged that the game will be significant, especially with Luka Doncic returning, but expects the most emotional moment to come when he plays in Los Angeles next season.
Despite the trade, Davis’ relationship with former teammate LeBron James remains intact. While their communication has lessened due to their respective teams’ playoff pursuits, they still check in on each other. Davis expressed confidence that they will reconnect during the offseason to maintain their strong bond.
After missing more than six weeks due to an adductor injury, Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis returned to play and said he felt “great” during the team’s 120-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Davis finished the game with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block in 26 minutes.
“Physically I felt great,” Davis said after the game in the visitors’ locker room at Barclays Center. “It’s the mental aspect when you’re coming back from something like that.
To mentally be ready to go out and play. I was mentally ready. But then getting into game action where you can’t anticipate what the other team is going to do. I overcame that in the first minute or so. From there, it was just about being smart. Obviously, I’m on a minutes restriction.”
Monday’s game was just the second time Davis played for Dallas after being traded for Luka Doncic in February. Davis, who had an abdominal strain at the time of the trade, made his debut for the Mavericks against the Houston Rockets on February 8. He played 31 minutes, scored 26 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, added 7 assists, and blocked 3 shots before his injury worsened.
During the six weeks Davis was sidelined, many other Mavericks players were injured, including Kyrie Irving (torn ACL), Daniel Gafford (knee sprain), Dante Exum (fractured hand), and Caleb Martin (hip strain). The team was often close to not having enough healthy players to meet the league’s required minimum of eight healthy players.
Before the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd joked that, due to the team’s injuries, he had told players to wait until 15 minutes before the game to warm up, rather than the usual 20 minutes, to save energy. However, the return of third-year big man Dereck Lively II in the next few weeks may help improve the situation.
Anthony Davis responds to a question in the news conference
“It was tough seeing these guys battling every single night. Winning close games,” Davis said. “Losing close games
Blowing teams out. Getting blown out. They are laying it on the line. For me, it was never a thought about if I was going to come back and play. Especially if I was healthy.
We are undermanned. Guys are hurt. Gafford. Lively. Kyrie goes out. It was tough. Guys were leaving it on the floor. Guys laying on the floor in the locker room afterwards just gassed — to the point of exhaustion. There was no doubt I was going to come back and play. That makes you want to come out and play with these guys. Leave it on the floor and battle each and every night.”
“As one of the leaders of the team, I just wanted to go out there and give them a breather at least.”
Irving’s injury was a big setback for the Mavericks, as he tore his left ACL after landing awkwardly on a drive against the Sacramento Kings three weeks ago. After Irving made two free throws while clearly in pain, Davis was one of the people who helped him off the floor.
Now out for the rest of this season and likely much of next season, Irving was with the team in Brooklyn, where he played for parts of four seasons with the Nets.
“It was devastating,” Davis said about Irving’s injury. “Kyrie is a phenomenal basketball player. But even more phenomenal human. Any time anyone goes through something like that, an injury like that, it always sucks. Obviously, the initial injury, the initial moment, you want to give him space. Then he came back to the locker room. Got everything out of his system. Now he’s excited about the rehab process.
“He’s in a good headspace now … to see him in a great headspace, it’s good for our team. Good for me. And, I’m pretty sure, good for him. Obviously, it sucks. But we have to hold the fort down for this season, and into next season, until he’s ready to come back.”
Davis, however, was ready to play again on Monday. Before the game, Kidd said he hoped it would be a positive, healthy experience for Davis, given all the injuries Dallas had faced recently. The coach was pleased with how things went.
Anthony Davis leaves the game in the 3rd quarter
“It was a positive experience,” Kidd said. “We tried to keep his run short
We tried to keep him under his minutes, and I thought he did an incredible job. I thought his rhythm was good. Sometimes when you get a player back like AD, you want to dump the ball to him every time. I thought the guys did a good job of being aggressive and letting the ball find him.”
However, despite the optimism surrounding Davis’ return, the team he came back to has different expectations than what Dallas had when the controversial trade was made. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison had declared that the team had a “three- to four-year” window to win titles.
After Monday’s win, Dallas is a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the 10th and final spot in the Western Conference play-in race, depending on Phoenix’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks later that night.
Still, that didn’t stop Davis from wanting to return as soon as he could.
“I stressed that to them,” Davis said. “Once I’m 100 percent, whenever that time was, and we have games left, I’m going to play. We all huddled up and got on the same page. Went through the rehab process and was able to play tonight. There was never a moment in my mind — unless we ran out of games — that I wasn’t going to play.
“Seeing these guys playing with seven guys. Guys playing 38, 40 minutes. We just don’t have enough bodies. Kessler Edwards is playing the 5. Naji [Marshall] is playing the 5.
Added a little bit more motivation for me. I was already motivated to get back. But it added a little bit more motivation seeing those guys battle each and every night. And leaving it on the floor.
“There was no doubt in my mind I was going to come back.”
In his Dallas debut, Anthony Davis scored 26 points with 16 rebounds before leaving in the third quarter with an abdominal injury, helping the Mavericks win 116-105 against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
This was Davis’ first game with the Mavericks after he was traded in a significant deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1.
Davis, who also had seven assists and three blocks, left the game toward the end of the third quarter after grabbing his lower abdomen and did not return. He had been dealing with an abdominal strain since being traded from the Lakers.
Max Christie, who was also acquired from Los Angeles, scored 23 points off the bench, and Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving each added 13 points.
Lakers 124, Pacers 117
Austin Reaves scored a career-high 45 points, along with seven rebounds and seven assists, helping Los Angeles defeat Indiana while LeBron James rested due to ankle soreness.
Reaves made 14 of 26 shots, including four 3-pointers, and hit all 13 of his free throws. Rui Hachimura contributed 24 points and nine rebounds as the Lakers won their fifth consecutive game.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 23 points, followed by Tyrese Haliburton’s 19 points and Bennedict Mathurin’s 16 points. The Pacers have lost two of their last three games.
Thunder 125, Grizzlies 112
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Aaron Wiggins added 26 points and 11 rebounds as Oklahoma City defeated Memphis in a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Jalen Williams scored 25 points and had six assists, and Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 14 rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander also had eight assists and has now scored 25 or more points in 20 consecutive games.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 19 points, ending his streak of nine straight 20-point games. Santi Aldama scored 18 points off the bench, and Ja Morant added 16 points.
Nuggets 122, Suns 105
Jamal Murray made a season-high six 3-pointers and scored 30 points to help Denver beat Phoenix.
Nikola Jokic recorded 26 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, but did not play the final quarter and missed out on a triple-double. Christian Braun had 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Julian Strawther added 18 points and six rebounds. Denver won their sixth straight game and 14th in their last 18 games.
Nikola Jokić reacts in the game
Devin Booker scored 24 points, and Bol Bol added 19 points off the bench for the Suns, who lost their fourth game in the last five. Tyus Jones had 15 points and 10 assists, and Damion Lee contributed 11 points.
Warriors 132, Bulls 111
Steph Curry scored 24 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, and Jimmy Butler added 25 points in his debut for Golden State, leading them past Chicago.
Golden State shot 57.8% in the second half and 50% overall. The Warriors erased a 24-point deficit in the third quarter and led by as many as 25 in the fourth.
Chicago scored just 42 points in the second half and lost for the third time in four games. Coby White scored 27 points to lead the Bulls. He has scored at least 20 points in five straight games.
Celtics 131, Knicks 104
Jayson Tatum scored 19 of his 40 points in the third quarter for Boston, which led the entire game to beat New York.
Luke Kornet, starting for Kristaps Porzingis (illness), recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
Payton Pritchard added 25 points off the bench as Boston moved 2 1/2 games ahead of New York in the race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Brunson scored 36 points for the Knicks, who have been outscored 263-213 in two games against the Celtics.
Clippers 130, Jazz 110
Ivica Zubac had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Norman Powell added 26 points as the Clippers rallied from a double-digit deficit in the first half to defeat Utah in Inglewood, Calif.
James Harden scored 23 points with a season-high 17 assists, and Amir Coffey added 17 points. The Clippers ended a three-game losing streak, which had matched their longest of the season.
Jordan Clarkson scored 14 of his 24 points in the first quarter, and Keyonte George added 21 points for the Jazz, who have lost 11 of their last 13 games.
Hawks 125, Wizards 111
Trae Young scored 35 points, marking his 14th game with 30 or more points this season, and led Atlanta to a win over Washington.
The Hawks have won two straight games and three of the last four, splitting their season series with Washington 2-2. Young shot 13-for-26 from the field and 5-for-14 from beyond the arc, also adding 14 assists for his 31st double-double of the season. Zaccharie Risacher added 18 points, and Georges Niang scored 16 points in his Atlanta debut.
Trae Young shoots in the 1st half
Washington got 23 points and seven assists from Bub Carrington and 21 points with six assists from Jordan Poole. The Wizards have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.
Magic 112, Spurs 111
Paolo Banchero hit the game-winning jump shot with 25.3 seconds left to lead Orlando to a come-from-behind win against San Antonio.
Franz Wagner led the Magic with 33 points on 14-of-28 shooting, adding 12 rebounds and five assists. Banchero finished with 17 points, nine of them coming in the fourth quarter. This was only Orlando’s fourth win in 12 games since Banchero’s return, making his fourth-quarter performance important.
Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Victor Wembanyama had 18 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. Harrison Barnes scored 21 points with eight rebounds, while De’Aaron Fox, in his third game with the team, scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Timberwolves 114, Trail Blazers 98
Jaden McDaniels scored 30 points on 12-for-17 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading Minnesota to a win over Portland.
Naz Reid finished with 23 points and eight rebounds, and Minnesota won its third game in a row. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points, and Rudy Gobert added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Minnesota won despite being without Anthony Edwards (hip) and Mike Conley (finger).
Anfernee Simons led Portland with 21 points on 9-for-21 shooting, snapping their six-game winning streak. Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe each scored 14 points, and Scoot Henderson added 12 points.
Kings 123, Pelicans 118
Zach LaVine scored 22 points in his second game with his new team, Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Sacramento ended their two-game losing streak with a comeback win over New Orleans.
Keegan Murray added 19 points, while Malik Monk and Keon Ellis each scored 13 points for Sacramento, which won for the third time in their last nine games.
Zion Williamson led all scorers with a season-high 40 points, and CJ McCollum added 31 points for the Pelicans, who have lost eight straight games.
Anthony Davis responds to a question in the news conference
Anthony Davis is ready to make his debut for the Dallas Mavericks in their first home game since the huge trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
While Davis knows he’ll be on the court for the opening tip against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, he’s unsure what to expect.
Anger among Dallas fans remained high even six days after the trade, which also included sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs while Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris went to LA.
Most of the frustration has been aimed at Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, who traded a 25-year-old superstar in his prime just eight months after the Mavs reached the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the franchise’s only championship in 2011.
“I get who Luka was to this franchise, to this city,” Davis said on Friday at his introductory news conference. “I’m never going to downplay that. Just how I know what I meant to the city of LA. So I’m not surprised by the fans’ reaction and the city’s reaction. It’s my job to come in and play basketball and do what I’m supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why Nico brought me here.”
“I don’t know how (Saturday’s) going to be as far as the reaction,” Davis said. “I can’t control that. Obviously, it was a tough transition. It was a shock to all. My job is to come in and win basketball games.”
Fans in Dallas protested outside the arena the day after the trade, and similar demonstrations could occur when the team returns from a five-game road trip.
All Davis can do is prove himself as one of the NBA’s top big men, a 10-time All-Star with career averages of 24.2 points and 10.7 rebounds, who helped lead the Lakers to their 17th championship in the 2020 playoff bubble.
“I’d just tell them you’ve got a guy who’s going to be on the floor every night,” Davis said when asked what he would say to one of those angry fans. “A guy who’s going to compete every night and bring that championship experience to the organization, try to help lead this team to some championships.”
Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and Caleb Martin respond to a question in the news conference
Davis was joined by Max Christie and Caleb Martin, who also joined the Mavericks in a trade with Philadelphia. Christie played the last two games on the road trip, scoring 15 points in each game. Martin’s debut with the Mavericks is uncertain because of a hip injury.
“I’m big on perspective,” said Christie, a 21-year-old in his third season as a second-round pick coming off a one-and-done college career at Michigan State. “Being able to be a part of a trade of this magnitude is definitely kind of flattering to me.”
Harrison’s bold move shifts the star pairing from Kyrie Irving and Doncic to a new frontcourt-backcourt combo of Irving and Davis.
Irving said in the first game after the trade that he was still grieving the loss of his “hermano,” but preparing himself to move on. After struggling together in the 2022-23 season, Irving and Doncic found their groove in 2023-24 and led the Mavs to a Western Conference title before losing to Boston in five games.
Now, Irving focuses on a new partnership, hoping the learning curve is not as steep since the team now has two players who don’t both need to dominate the ball.
The 31-year-old Davis is also eager to play mostly at power forward, as the Mavs have stronger personnel at center compared to the Lakers, with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Lively may not return until late in the regular season due to a stress fracture in his ankle.
“I just think having a guard like Kai, who’s able to score, who’s able to pass, attack downhill, he can do it all. No flaw in his game,” Davis said. “I don’t think he’s played with a guy like me as well who can play in the pocket, can roll to the rim, be a lob threat and pick and pop, can handle (the ball) when he can come set a screen for me. It’s a different dynamic that I bring to him and he brings to me.”
It’s bringing a new dynamic to the Mavericks’ home, at least for now.
Anthony Davis might make his Mavericks debut on Thursday when Dallas plays the Boston Celtics in their final matchup of the season series.
The Mavericks have lost both games since trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a package that included Davis, who has been recovering from an abdominal muscle strain he suffered on January 28.
“I’ll go through a workout today, see how I feel, and depending on that, get another one in (Wednesday),” Davis said on Tuesday. “And then depending on that, see how I feel. If not Thursday, then more than likely Saturday at home (against the Houston Rockets).”
Davis has averaged 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals in 42 games this season, all as a starter.
Max Christie, who also came to Dallas in the Doncic trade, played in Tuesday’s 118-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers and scored 15 points in 32 minutes.
“I was just playing hard, to be honest, and reacting to what was going on,” Christie said. “The (team) concepts are kind of foreign to me, so I’m just playing off reaction. It helped that I was making my threes, too.”
Dallas will be aiming to snap a three-game losing streak on Thursday. The Celtics defeated the Mavericks 122-107 on January 25, the first meeting between the two teams since their 2024 NBA Finals matchup.
Anthony Davis (NBA)
Quentin Grimes scored 20 points off the bench in the first game against Boston but was traded to Philadelphia for forward Caleb Martin on Tuesday. Martin is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds this season.
The Celtics come off one of their best defensive performances of the season, extending their winning streak to four games with a 112-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Boston recorded 10 steals and six blocked shots in the victory, holding the Cavaliers to a season-low-tying field-goal percentage of 39.6%.
“It was a battle at both ends,” said Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis. “Their defense was there, and we had to bring ours. It was a physical battle. We had just enough to edge them.”
Boston limited Cleveland, the Eastern Conference leaders, to 15 points in the first quarter.
“I thought we did a good job just taking away some of the margins, some of the easy baskets that they’re able to create because of the type of players that they have and the type of offense that they run,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
Before the NBA All-Star Weekend begins on February 14, Boston will play road games against the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, along with a home game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics’ current four-game win streak is their longest since a seven-game streak in November.
“I’m very happy we have four wins in a row now because it’s a tough, tough stretch right before the All-Star break,” Porzingis said. “It’s important for us to finish strong going into the All-Star break, get some rest, then have that really good home stretch of the regular season to peak at the right moment.”
Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris with their new jerseys
LeBron James said he spent two days in shock after the Los Angeles Lakers traded away Anthony Davis, his close friend and teammate for 5 1/2 years.
Now, LeBron is adjusting to the idea of teaming up with Luka Doncic, a player he has long admired.
“Luka has been my favorite player in the NBA for a while now,” LeBron said Tuesday night after scoring 26 points in the Lakers’ big win over the Clippers. “I’ve always just tried to play the game the right way and inspire the next generation, and Luka happens to be one of them, and now we’re teammates. So it’ll be a very seamless transition.”
Like many others, LeBron thought the trade was a joke when he first heard about it last Saturday night while dining with his family in New York.
“My emotions were all over the place,” LeBron said. “The first time I heard it, I thought it was for sure fake. I thought it was a hoax. People messing around or whatever. But AD FaceTimed me, and I talked to him for quite a while. Even when I got off the phone with him, it still didn’t seem real.
Pretty much didn’t seem real until I saw Luka today, and then I saw the clip of AD at the Dallas shootaround. That’s when it finally hit me, like, ‘This is real.’”
Midway through his record-tying 22nd NBA season, the 40-year-old LeBron has often said he’s seen everything the NBA has to offer.
This trade proved him wrong. “Ain’t never seen this,” LeBron said. “I haven’t. I’ve seen it all, up until this one. I’ve never been a part of a transaction like that. That was different. … It was shocking when I heard the news, but at the end of the day, I understand the business of basketball.”
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, and LeBron says he’s committed to continuing with the Lakers, even after Davis’ departure.
When asked if he was worried about the Lakers focusing more on Doncic and younger players, LeBron replied: “What’s wrong with that?”
“If I had concerns, I’d have waived my no-trade clause and got up out of here,” he added. “Listen, I’m here right now. I’m committed to the Lakers organization. I’m here to help Luka and Maxi make the transition as smoothly as possible.”
Luka Doncic with Rob Pelinka during the news conference
Doncic has officially joined the Lakers
Doncic officially joined the Lakers on Tuesday, and he spent time talking with LeBron while watching from the bench at the Intuit Dome. The Slovenian star, who’s still processing one of the biggest trades in NBA history, expressed excitement about joining the Lakers alongside LeBron, his idol.
Even though they’re opposing coaches in the Clippers-Lakers rivalry, JJ Redick and Tyronn Lue both believe Doncic and LeBron will make a strong duo for the Lakers.
“I’m confident that we can figure out how to blend their talents together in a positive way in a very short amount of time,” Redick said.
Though Doncic wasn’t ready to play with the Lakers on Tuesday night, he was already the main topic of conversation before the game, which marked the first since the Lakers made the blockbuster trade sending Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris.
Lue, who coached LeBron on the Cleveland Cavaliers when they won a championship with LeBron and guard Kyrie Irving, was confident about how the pairing of LeBron and Doncic would work.
“They’re not right,” Lue said, referring to critics who think the two ball-dominant players won’t mesh. “It’ll work. When you have LeBron James, who’s been the best player in the league for the last 15 years, and you have Luka — who’s a top-three, top-five player in the league — they’ll figure out how to make it work.
LeBron can play with anybody. … I know JJ will do a good job of stacking those guys so they each have their own unit, kind of like we did with Kyrie and LeBron, and then in the fourth quarter they’ll close games together. They’ll figure it out. It’s not a tough problem to have, I’ll tell you that.”
Luka Doncic speaks at the NBA basketball conference
Redick and Doncic were teammates for 13 games in Dallas during Redick’s final playing season in 2021. Doncic also appeared on Redick’s podcast multiple times.
“I would say we had a friendship (and) mutual respect,” Redick said. “You then have to figure out how to have a working relationship as player/coach, and both him and I are committed to that. … I’m excited to build that with him.”
Several of LeBron’s teammates were also impacted by the trade, especially those who were close to Davis and Christie.
“The last couple of days has been tough for me,” Austin Reaves said. “I feel like I had an empty pit in my stomach, just because in the last four years with AD, three years with Max, you create real relationships and bonds, and out of nowhere (they’re) on a different team, competing and doing what they want to do.”
Talk about Doncic was everywhere in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar praised the Lakers’ acquisition of Doncic, one of the few Slovenian athletes more famous than Kopitar. He even reached out to his fellow Slovenian with congratulations.
“He’s obviously a superstar around the world, not just in Slovenia,” Kopitar said. “For our country, being so small, obviously everybody knows him. And it was a big deal, I know from what I heard from back home. It’s nice to have him here.”
Anthony Davis is a four-time first-team All-NBA player, a three-time All-Defensive team selection, and an NBA champion. This season, he’s averaging 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, just a month before turning 32.
However, despite his impressive credentials, Dallas Mavericks fans were left wondering why their team would trade Luka Doncic for Davis. Doncic, a dynamic scorer who led the league with 33.9 points per game last season, has been named to the All-NBA team five times in a row and is still under 26 years old.
But that’s exactly what happened on Saturday night when the Mavericks traded Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The Utah Jazz were involved as a third team to facilitate the deal, receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks, one from the Clippers and one from Dallas.
Dallas general manager Nico Harrison explained that the Mavericks were motivated by Doncic’s struggles on defense, and they believe Davis’ defensive ability would help them improve as they push for a playoff spot. The Mavericks were swept by the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals last June.
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Harrison said. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
The Mavericks were also frustrated with Doncic’s focus on conditioning. While he’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, he reportedly weighed more than 260 pounds early in the season.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis is introduced before an NBA basketball game
His weight raised concerns about his injury risk, like the calf strain he suffered on Christmas Day in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic has missed most of the season, playing only 22 games, but he’s expected to return by the All-Star break.
Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd will likely face many questions about the trade.
“Luka getting traded from Dallas has to have a deeper story behind it,” said Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers on X (formerly Twitter). “This just doesn’t happen on a random Saturday night.”
Thompson, who won an NBA title with LeBron James in Cleveland in 2016, speculated about James’ involvement in the trade. But ESPN reported that James wasn’t involved in the decision and found out about the deal while dining with his family after the Lakers’ win over the Knicks.
Both Doncic and Davis reportedly learned about the trade after the Mavericks and Lakers agreed to the deal.
Tim Cowlishaw, a sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, wrote that the trade doesn’t make sense and repeats a pattern from the past.
“I will say it now and I will say it again 48 hours from now: There is something missing here,” Cowlishaw said. “There has to be some element of this trade not yet reported, some bizarre set of facts that led Harrison and the Mavericks down this incredibly silly path.”
Luka Doncic gestures in the 2nd half
Cowlishaw pointed out that the Mavericks traded Jason Kidd when he was 23, before he became an eight-time All-Star. Kidd went on to have a successful career with Phoenix and New Jersey, even returning to Dallas to help the franchise win its first championship.
He was not yet the player he would become, but he was already showing signs of greatness, unlike Doncic, who has been a first-team All-NBA player until this injury-filled season.
Davis has been sidelined with an abdominal strain and is expected to miss at least a week. It’s unclear when he will play his first game for the Mavericks.
The Mavericks, currently in eighth place in the Western Conference, are set to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. They plan to field a starting lineup featuring guards Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, forwards Davis and P.J. Washington, and center Daniel Gafford, with an injury-related substitution until Dereck Lively II returns from a foot injury.
Cowlishaw remained baffled by the trade:
“That’s right, a player six years older than Luka is now coming to Dallas, presumably to tag team with two other 30-somethings, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, to lead this team to, what, a play-in game?
In a Western Conference where Oklahoma City, Houston, and Memphis will just run you off the floor with their youth and athleticism, the Mavericks are seeking to win based on memories of a decade ago,” he wrote.
Luka Dončić led Dallas to the NBA Finals last season, while Anthony Davis helped the Los Angeles Lakers win a championship. Now, the two stars are switching teams in a major trade.
Dončić is being traded by the Mavericks, the reigning Western Conference champions, to the Lakers in exchange for Davis, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity early Sunday. The deal also involves other players: Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris are headed to Los Angeles, while Davis and Max Christie are going to Dallas.
The source added that the Utah Jazz are part of the trade as well. ESPN, which first reported the news, said Jalen Hood-Schifino and two draft picks will go to Utah. The Dallas Morning News confirmed these details.
The trade was announced about an hour after the Lakers defeated New York at Madison Square Garden. Davis was not with the Lakers for the game because he was in Los Angeles for an abdominal injury assessment. Dončić, on the other hand, has not played for Dallas since Christmas Day due to a strained left calf.
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison told ESPN. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
If the trade goes through, Dončić will join LeBron James to form a new star duo in Los Angeles, while Davis will team up with Kyrie Irving in Dallas. The news immediately shocked fans on social media.
“Luka getting traded from Dallas has to have a deeper story behind it,” Cleveland center Tristan Thompson posted on X. “This just doesn’t happen on a random Saturday night.”
Luka Doncic (NBA)
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson even asked, “April fools right?” It’s not a joke, though.
Dallas will play at Cleveland on Sunday, while the Lakers have a break until they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. The trade still needs NBA approval, and it’s unclear when Dončić and Davis will play for their new teams since both are dealing with injuries and there’s no set timeline for their returns.
Among players with at least 400 games played, Dončić’s 28.6-point average ranks third in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, both at 30.1. When healthy, Dončić is one of the most dynamic and unstoppable players in the league.
He finished third in MVP voting last season after averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game, a truly historic season. Dončić also tied the fourth-highest scoring game in NBA history on January 26, 2024, when he dropped 73 points against Atlanta. Only Chamberlain (100 points), Kobe Bryant (81 points), and Chamberlain again (78 points) scored more.
Davis, an All-Star for the 10th time this year, turns 32 next month. He was part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team and helped the Lakers win the 2020 NBA title in the bubble. Like Dončić, Davis is a five-time All-NBA selection.
For Dončić, however, there may be a significant financial impact from the trade. He was eligible for a supermax contract this summer, which could have earned him around $345 million over five years. Now, his extension eligibility could limit him to a five-year deal worth no more than $230 million.
This season, Dončić is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, while Davis is putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds.
Anthony Davis believes the Los Angeles Lakers are close to being a title contender but need a few more pieces. One of those additions, he hopes, will be a center before the trade deadline on Feb. 6.
“I think we need another big,” Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania this week. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having a big out there.”
Davis and LeBron James have both said they want the Lakers to make moves to become title contenders. The Lakers, with a 24-18 record after their 117-96 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday, are only 1½ games ahead of the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks for a guaranteed playoff spot. James mentioned after Sunday night’s heavy loss to the LA Clippers that the team doesn’t have “room for error” with the current roster.
“We have to play perfect basketball,” James said after the defeat.
Anthony Davis Propels Lakers to 2-0 Start, Embracing Lead Role with Support from LeBron
The Lakers won the championship in 2020 with what Davis called “the perfect construction” of a team. He mentioned that in addition to strong shooters and defensive players, the team’s size was a key factor, which allowed him to play his natural position of power forward.
“We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale [McGee] and Dwight [Howard] at the 5 and I’m at the 4,” he told Charania.
Davis is leading the Lakers this season with 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, numbers similar to his 2020 championship season, where he averaged 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. However, the Lakers have only had significant minutes from one true center, 7-footer Jaxson Hayes, who is averaging 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 20 games.
Davis hopes the Lakers will address this issue in the next couple of weeks.
“We feel like we are right there, you know, as far as the team and everything like that,” Davis said. “[James] and I are like very, very motivated to win another championship.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis is introduced before an NBA basketball game
Lakers center Anthony Davis missed just his third game of the season after being a late scratch from the lineup before Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Davis was listed as out 40 minutes before the game started because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Coach JJ Redick explained after the Lakers’ 102-101 win that Davis was kept out as a precaution. Redick also mentioned that he expected Davis to be ready for Sunday’s game against the LA Clippers.
This game will mark the Lakers’ first visit to the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome arena in Inglewood. The arena is located less than a mile from the Forum, which served as the Lakers’ home from 1967 until 1999.
Anthony Davis (NBA)
The Lakers have a 2-1 record this season when Davis is unable to play. He missed a game on November 6 against Memphis due to a bruised left heel and also missed the January 2 game against Minnesota because of a sprained left ankle.
Davis is currently ranked 11th in the league for scoring, averaging 25.8 points per game. Additionally, he is fifth in rebounds, with an average of 11.9 per game.
In Davis’ absence, Jaxson Hayes made his third start of the season. Hayes finished the game with six points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes of play.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis shoots over Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren during the second half of an NBA basketball game
LeBron James and the Lakers stepped up again when star player Anthony Davis went down.
Davis didn’t return to the game against Golden State on Wednesday night after injuring his left ankle midway through the first quarter.
“It’s always difficult to play without AD, so I guess our job is even more heightened, we have to do a little bit more,” James said after the Lakers won 115-113. “Everyone has to chip in, especially on the defensive end because AD is our anchor.
I thought guys did a great job of just playing off one another, getting to where we wanted to get to offensively and also being able to buckle down and get timely stops versus a really good offensive team.”
Davis rolled his ankle while moving toward the Lakers’ basket, leaving with 4:48 left in the quarter. He went to the locker room and was listed as questionable to return.
“I don’t have an update on AD,” coach JJ Redick said.
Anthony Davis (NBA)
Davis, who stands 6-foot-10, had already been questionable to play in the Christmas Day game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors due to a bruised left shoulder.
He missed all three of his shots, scoring no points and grabbing two rebounds in seven minutes of play.
Austin Reaves stepped up to help with the workload, recording a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also made the game-winning layup with one second remaining.
“It got to a hand that we trust,” James said. “The play was drawn up for me, they doubled me at the top of the key. It’s always great to have great options out on the floor at the same time. AR’s been in that position before.”
The Los Angeles Lakers’ prominent center extended his impressive 2023-24 season on Wednesday, falling just one assist short of a triple-double with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in a 127-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks (24-18).
NBA @NBALeBron James connects with AD on the full-court assist 👀
📺 Mavericks-Lakers | Live on ABC pic.twitter.com/41BpWNdCII
He narrowly missed securing his second triple-double in the last three games.
D’Angelo Russell, clearly content with his return to the starting lineup, contributed 29 points, while LeBron James posted a solid 25 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
The Lakers dampened another stellar performance from Luka Dončić, who achieved a triple-double (33 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in his comeback from a three-game injury absence, while Kyrie Irving struggled to find his rhythm (12 points on 4-of-16 shooting, six assists).
Nevertheless, Davis took center stage in this game, earning praise from NBA enthusiasts and pundits on social media:
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBAIt’s the strangest season. AD is the best he’s ever been, and LeBron is still great. Yet…the team is average. Now, we need to bank on them sustaining it as Ham finds the right mix and Pelinka makes moves.
Jason Timpf @_JasonLTAnthony Davis is playing at an insanely high level right now.
Coach Rome @Rome_Beastwe gotta talk about anthony davis leap as a passer bro
he’s taken the next stop ppl used to kill him for
⭐️Lorraine Rivera ⭐ @roxygirl7985Anthony Davis deserves to be an All Star this season. ⭐️
Janet 🌻 @SlimjaneyyyAnthony Davis out here playing like an MVP
karin. @KarinAbcarianswhat a joy it is to watch Anthony Davis play basketball
Godson @GodsongizzeAnthony Davis has been very superb for the Lakers this season.
Lakers On 𝕏 @LakersOnXAnthony Davis is HIM
Lakers Nation @LakersNationAnthony. Davis.
That’s it, that’s the tweet.
As previously mentioned, it’s bewildering that Davis is arguably delivering the best basketball of his career, James continues to be a formidable force at the age of 39, and the Lakers possess a roster of very capable role players… and yet, they maintain a record of just 21-21 for the season.
Nevertheless, if the Lakers secure a playoff spot and Davis maintains this level of performance, they will be a formidable opponent. It’s difficult to envision L.A.’s front office squandering one of the final years of James’ career, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they are actively seeking to add a third star before the Feb. 8 trade deadline unless the team experiences a significant winning streak.
For now, they have secured two consecutive victories. It’s a promising beginning. If Davis sustains this level of play, one would anticipate more victories than losses in the future.
