Davis was in disbelief, totally caught off guard. He FaceTimed James, hoping his friend could share something about what had happened and why. “When it happened, I honestly didn’t know s—,” Davis recalled while standing in the hallways of Crypto.com Arena following the Lakers’ 107-99 win. “He’s been my running mate for six years … so the first thing I wanted to do was call him. … Obviously, I know there are going to be a lot of political things in the front office when they talk to me. “The front office has to do what it has to do and obviously they’re going to do what’s best for the organization. So I don’t know if I ever got the ‘real’ about any of it. I don’t know what’s true or what’s not, coming from upstairs. So, my thing is I’m gonna go to my counterpart who I’ve been running with and see what’s going on, get his reaction and that’s all it was. We had a conversation. That was it.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Stephen Noh @StephNoh
So when do we start taking this Lakers defense seriously?
They’ve already played 11 games without Anthony Davis. Hasn’t been A+ competition, but their defense ranks no. 1 in the league over that time span. – 1:26 PM
So when do we start taking this Lakers defense seriously?
They’ve already played 11 games without Anthony Davis. Hasn’t been A+ competition, but their defense ranks no. 1 in the league over that time span. – 1:26 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Bol Bol as a starter:
More PPG than
— Jimmy
— Kawhi
— Mobley
— Bam
— Haliburton
— Bane
— George
More RPG than
— Embiid
— Gafford
— Luka
— Chet
— Adams
— LeBron
— Edey
More BPG than
— AD
— Kessler
— Jaren
— Lopez
— Mobley
— Kristaps
— Gobert pic.x.com/QaO1idDkqt – 12:02 PM
![]( "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gkua-1CWQAAlWwN.jpg")
Bol Bol as a starter:
More PPG than
— Jimmy
— Kawhi
— Mobley
— Bam
— Haliburton
— Bane
— George
More RPG than
— Embiid
— Gafford
— Luka
— Chet
— Adams
— LeBron
— Edey
More BPG than
— AD
— Kessler
— Jaren
— Lopez
— Mobley
— Kristaps
— Gobert pic.x.com/QaO1idDkqt – 12:02 PM
Arash Markazi @ArashMarkazi
I’m LIVE on the @SportingTrib’s X from Crypto talking about the Lakers beating the Dallas Mavericks in for the first time since the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to Dallas. We talk about what the win means for the Lakers. x.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 1:23 AM
I’m LIVE on the @SportingTrib’s X from Crypto talking about the Lakers beating the Dallas Mavericks in for the first time since the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to Dallas. We talk about what the win means for the Lakers. x.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 1:23 AM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
LeBron outscored the Mavericks 10-6 in the paint by himself in the fourth quarter
Yeah, the Mavericks needed Anthony Davis and their centers tonight pic.x.com/TZxsTUHJIJ – 12:50 AM
![]( "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GksQJotXAAAVfe3.png")
LeBron outscored the Mavericks 10-6 in the paint by himself in the fourth quarter
Yeah, the Mavericks needed Anthony Davis and their centers tonight pic.x.com/TZxsTUHJIJ – 12:50 AM
Tim Cato @tim_cato
this Dallas squad’s awesome. they’ve been very, very good all season and they’ve battled through a cursed stretch of injuries. that said, plus Christie, this is the same roster they’ve had all season. add AD, and i do think they’re contenders. it’s just the same was true of Luka. – 12:24 AM
this Dallas squad’s awesome. they’ve been very, very good all season and they’ve battled through a cursed stretch of injuries. that said, plus Christie, this is the same roster they’ve had all season. add AD, and i do think they’re contenders. it’s just the same was true of Luka. – 12:24 AM
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Sources: Although Anthony Davis will not play former team tonight in first trip to LA since trade, the Lakers plan to pay homage to AD with an emotional video tribute. #haynesbriefs
Brought to you by @MoveInsoles pic.x.com/fK5WeF8Vfq – 5:24 PM
Sources: Although Anthony Davis will not play former team tonight in first trip to LA since trade, the Lakers plan to pay homage to AD with an emotional video tribute. #haynesbriefs
Brought to you by @MoveInsoles pic.x.com/fK5WeF8Vfq – 5:24 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
New Jordan Brand ad for Luka dropped for his first game vs. Dallas. Set to the tune: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” pic.x.com/VIMV97mSeI – 5:23 PM
New Jordan Brand ad for Luka dropped for his first game vs. Dallas. Set to the tune: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” pic.x.com/VIMV97mSeI – 5:23 PM
Khobi Price @khobi_price
“Just a lot of emotions.”
Max Christie, who spent the first 2 1/2 seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers, on the night he and Anthony Davis were traded to Dallas and the immediate personal aftermath of the deal: pic.x.com/jfEZ3D0ZG3 – 3:18 PM
“Just a lot of emotions.”
Max Christie, who spent the first 2 1/2 seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers, on the night he and Anthony Davis were traded to Dallas and the immediate personal aftermath of the deal: pic.x.com/jfEZ3D0ZG3 – 3:18 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Latest injury update: Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin all out. Dwight Powell, doubtful. P.J. Washington, questionable.
For Lakers: LeBron James probable (left foot) and Maxi Kleber out (right foot surgery recovery). – 2:46 PM
Latest injury update: Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin all out. Dwight Powell, doubtful. P.J. Washington, questionable.
For Lakers: LeBron James probable (left foot) and Maxi Kleber out (right foot surgery recovery). – 2:46 PM
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis got in some work after shootaround. pic.x.com/80rJOEXeuF – 2:21 PM
Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis got in some work after shootaround. pic.x.com/80rJOEXeuF – 2:21 PM
Mike Curtis @MikeACurtis2
Anthony Davis is back in Los Angeles, getting a post shootaround workout in with Mavs assistants Jared Dudley and Cory Jefferson. pic.x.com/Z68600vOpE – 2:20 PM
Anthony Davis is back in Los Angeles, getting a post shootaround workout in with Mavs assistants Jared Dudley and Cory Jefferson. pic.x.com/Z68600vOpE – 2:20 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
More Redick on the Lakers playing extremely well defensively despite many different variations on last several weeks (with AD/Christie and without, with Luka, etc):
“Team defense … our group is committed to it right now. We have some really good defenders, but you have to play – 3:13 PM
More Redick on the Lakers playing extremely well defensively despite many different variations on last several weeks (with AD/Christie and without, with Luka, etc):
“Team defense … our group is committed to it right now. We have some really good defenders, but you have to play – 3:13 PM
More on this storyline
So, as Davis watched the video, he smiled and waved to the crowd that was giving him a standing ovation, fully enjoying the moment despite the fact he was unable to play in his return because of an adductor strain. “If I was playing, it would have been a little bit more emotional for me,” Davis told The Times. “Obviously, it was emotional for the time I had here. But the video was fire! The love from the crowd was fire! The ovation was fire! “I don’t know. I haven’t processed it. I might have to watch it again. I’m just in the midst of a game. I’m trying to win a basketball game. So, I couldn’t really get a chance to like, really, dissect the video and feel what I wanted to feel. But that’s the first time I had that, and I think that it was really dope for the Lakers to do, obviously, and I’m honored and appreciative, for them even considering to do that for me.” -via Los Angeles Times / February 26, 2025
Jeanie Buss: “You know, in my position, there are certain players in the league that you think, ‘There’s no way I’ll ever have that player on my team.’ It’s just impossible—unless you draft a star like that, they usually don’t move. When the opportunity came up, we were not looking to move Anthony Davis. He was our rock-solid player, and we had to give up a lot to get Luka. I look back, and I remember the last time I saw Kobe alive—about a month before he passed. He had brought Gigi to a Lakers game to see Luka play because Luka was Gigi’s favorite player. The idea that Luka is now a Laker—I know how happy that would have made Kobe and Gigi.” -via YouTube / February 26, 2025
“I’ll start with just the fact that I miss being around him everyday,” Redick said of Davis. “He’s a fantastic human being, wonderful teammate… For a guy who is a superstar, been in the Olympics, won the Finals, been All-NBA, (Davis) probably had a decent amount of skepticism with a coach who has never coached before. Former podcaster if you will. For him to just accept me and be open to a relationship… Was big time. Speaks a lot to who he is as a person… Certainly miss him as a player… He’s just a pleasure to be around.” -via Clutch Points / February 26, 2025