The career of former Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will always be shaped by two major trades—the one that brought him to L.A. to pair with LeBron James and the one that sent him to Dallas six years later, ending their championship-winning partnership.
Neither Davis nor James has acknowledged being aware of the shocking trade that sent Davis to the Mavericks while bringing Luka Doncic to the Lakers. This may have helped them maintain a strong relationship despite the mid-season move that likely marked the end of their time as teammates. With James turning 40 in December, the chances of them playing together again are slim.
However, James’ gestures toward Davis early in their partnership laid the foundation for a successful run that included two Western Conference Finals appearances and an NBA title. Davis recalled in a February interview with MAVS TV how James had offered him the No. 23 jersey.
“When I got to L.A., [James] wanted to give me the [No.] 23. But I was like, ‘I don’t want to take your number,’” Davis said in a video shared by Nicole Ganglani on X. “Then, that second year, he switched to [No.] 6 and asked if I wanted [No.] 23. And I was like, ‘I actually want to stick with [No.] 3. I want to go back to where it all started.’”
Anthony Davis, Mavericks Have Faced Challenges Since Trade
Davis dealt with injuries after leaving the New Orleans Pelicans for the Lakers in 2019, though he found early success by winning a title in 2020.
Unfortunately for Davis and the Mavericks, things haven’t gone as smoothly since his move to Texas. He has played just one game—on February 8 against the Houston Rockets—before suffering an adductor strain that has kept him sidelined.
While the team hasn’t ruled him out for the season and initially expected him to return before the campaign ends on April 13, Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear may make it unnecessary for Davis to come back this season.
