One notable aspect of Anthony Davis’s career is that his departures from NBA franchises are often highly publicized events.
The ten-time NBA All-Star recently featured on “The Draymond Green Show,” hosted by the Golden State Warriors forward, in an episode that aired Wednesday. During the discussion, Davis voiced numerous concerns, primarily focusing on the circumstances surrounding the conclusion of his time with both the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans.
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Until this week, Davis had maintained a largely diplomatic stance concerning the surprising trade that saw him move to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Dončić. However, that particular transfer didn’t pan out as anticipated for Davis, who was limited to just 29 games over two partial seasons with Dallas due to injuries before ultimately being traded to the Washington Wizards.
During his tenure with the Lakers, Davis served as a largely impactful co-star alongside LeBron James, contributing to their championship win in 2020. He expressed a belief that the organization owed him greater respect:
“From the business standpoint, I can’t be mad. But, like, why? I just couldn’t fathom, I couldn’t understand it. And nobody told me nothing. Nobody said a thing to me. So you just catch me off guard, like, yeah, ‘You traded to Dallas.’
“That’s what I couldn’t get over and I still can’t get over. I think I deserved much more respect than that. All the time I’ve been here — s***, I was there six years, — all the time I’ve been there and all the time, we won a championship, all this stuff and I can’t get a phone call or a text to tell me, like, ‘Look, this is what we’re thinking.’
While Davis appeared to accept the Lakers’ decision to trade him from a business perspective, he also confessed to having previously envisioned playing alongside Dončić in Los Angeles post-James’s retirement.
Anthony Davis is still waiting to make his Wizards debut.
(Scott Taetsch via Getty Images)
Davis, however, showed less understanding regarding the Pelicans’ conduct upon his return to the Smoothie King Center as a Laker. He described the absence of a tribute video from the team as “the final straw” in their relationship, asserting that it extinguished any possibility of him rejoining the franchise later in his career:
“You know how it always goes, you get drafted to a team and when you’re done, it’s like, ‘Damn, toward the end of my career, I might want to go back.’ I’ve always had that mindset. I told [Pelicans owner Gayle Benson], when I was going to her right before the deadline to ask for a trade, I told her, ‘Ms. B, I want to get out of here, these are the reasons, whatever.’ Ms. B was cool. Me and Ms. B still cool to this day.
“I was like, ‘This might not be the end, though. Later on in my career, who knows if I was to come back and we try to do something special as I’m older and a little mature, the game developed, win a couple of championships, like whatever, I don’t know.’ I left that door open. And when I went back, that first game, and got no trib, I said, ‘Oh, that door is closed.’”
Considering this event occurred seven years ago, it’s perhaps salient to recall that Davis a) had his agent publicly advocate for a trade to “a team that allows him the chance to win consistently and compete for a championship,” b) scuttled a potential trade with the Boston Celtics by refusing a long-term commitment, and c) faced strong boos from Pelicans fans during his return game, which likely would have intensified if a tribute video had been played.
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Thus, the decision regarding a tribute video was likely more nuanced than Davis’s current portrayal suggests.
Regarding his present team, Davis confessed to being taken aback when the Mavericks traded him to the consistently struggling Wizards. Nevertheless, he noted that he has since been impressed by the organization’s current assets and setup:
“I was like, ‘Damn, Washington? What?’ But then when you get here, you look at the facility, the little details of the team, it’s like, ‘Not bad.’ I like the young guys on the team. These mother***ers can play. They play hard. They’re not afraid of the moment. They’re not scared. These guys can really hoop.”
Nonetheless, Davis conveyed a subtle caution to the team as it endeavors to transform its roster—comprising Davis, Trae Young, its burgeoning young talent, and a 2026 NBA lottery pick—into a competitive force for the upcoming season:
I’m at a young 33 and every year I play from here on out, I want to be able to compete for a championship. That’s what I want to do. If their goals align where it’s like — I just know and you know it’s tough to be one of the worst teams in the league and then next year you’re a championship contender.
Davis has not yet played for the Wizards, having been out of commission since January 8th due to a hand injury. The team presently has minimal incentive to rush his return this season, given its current standing as the NBA’s worst team with a 17-62 record, thus securing the most favorable position in the upcoming draft lottery.