The Anthony Davis and Los Angeles Lakers partnership came to an end in a way that most didn’t think would happen until it did. Davis did everything with former Laker LeBron James, and the duo became one of the best in the league.
The NBA champion was very vocal in his last season with the Lakers about what he felt they could do to be really successful. Davis mentioned the organization getting a true center.
“I think we need another big,” Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania at the time. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having a big out there.”
Instead, it was the power forward who would get blindsided to end his time with the Lakers. On a late February night in 2025, it was the Lakers who traded Davis for superstar Luka Doncic.
“The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah,” Charania posted.
Since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, he has also been traded to the Washington Wizards. Recently, Davis admitted what went wrong at the end of his time with LA.
“The strength training I was doing because I knew I was playing center, like I’m going against Joel Embiid and Jokic. And I never like I’ve always played like 250. And that year I had got to like 265 and it was like I didn’t like it. It was actually probably like 268 and I didn’t like it. I’m like, bro, I can’t play like this. I feel heavy. So I tried to cut during the season but when when you trying to do that while you playing this it was tough. And then that’s when I went and was like hey man I want another big and all this stuff and you know it just didn’t happen whatever,” Davis said.
It is clear now that Davis didn’t feel the best with his body during his final season with the Lakers. Now, as he is able to play the power forward position with his team, he feels better than he did.
The NBA champion tried telling LA that he would be able to get back to himself if they just let him go back to the four spot. However, that didn’t happen, and Davis didn’t enjoy all the added weight at all.
