Star forward LeBron James recently witnessed one of the best teammates he’s ever had move to another team. Superstar big man Anthony Davis was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend, with star guard Luka Doncic heading to L.A. as part of the deal.

Reports and James’ own statements suggest that he had no prior knowledge of the trade and was surprised by it. However, former NBA player Stephen Jackson seems skeptical of this claim.
“I’m all about common sense,” Jackson said. “There’s no way you can tell me Rob Pelinka called Anthony Davis’ agent, then A.D., and only after the trade did they talk to LeBron. It doesn’t work like that. If you’re even thinking about calling Bron afterward, you called him first to discuss it. That’s just common sense. If anyone holds respect or has a prominent role on the team, the people in charge of trades — whether it’s the owner or coach — would talk to them before finalizing anything, not after. They’d have called LeBron to make sure everything was cool. Bron knows what’s happening everywhere in the league, especially with the Lakers.”

Jackson continued by referencing Lakers icons Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
“You think Kobe didn’t know they were about to trade Shaq?” he questioned.

During the discussion, retired forward Matt Barnes made a reasonable point that if James isn’t telling the truth, it might be to protect Davis. James and Davis played together on the Lakers for over five seasons, even winning a title together.

Former NBA guard Rashad McCants claimed that James never liked Davis, but there’s substantial evidence to the contrary. For one, James denied a report suggesting he was frustrated with Davis, though some may have misinterpreted the claim.

Additionally, James posted an Instagram message for Davis after the trade news broke, expressing his love for the big man.

James has been accused of bending the truth in the past. He has become somewhat of a meme in recent years due to claims of dishonesty, with video compilations circulating online showcasing his alleged falsehoods.

Since the trade, the Lakers have played one game. They faced off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, winning by more than 20 points thanks to a 26-point performance from James, who also contributed eight rebounds, nine assists, and three steals.