SI

Anthony Davis Had Two-Word Response Ahead of First Game vs. Lakers Since Trade

Davis will play against the Lakers on Wednesday for the first time since the trade.

Eva Geitheim

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis.
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
In this story:

Anthony Davis will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday for the first time since they traded him to the Dallas Mavericks two months ago, but Davis is downplaying any emotions heading into the reunion with his former team. In the trade that rocked the NBA, the Mavericks sent generational superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers so they could acquire Davis.

The Lakers and Mavericks have faced each other since the trade, but Davis was injured and did not play in that game, so this will be Davis's first time going up his former team.

Ahead of the game, Fox Sports reporter Melissa Rohlin asked Davis what the emotions are like for him prior to Wednesday's game. Davis bluntly replied, "No emotions."

Though Davis said there are no emotions, he is seeing the franchise he spent five and a half seasons with again. The team he won his first and lone championship with, and the organization he thought he was going to be a part of for future seasons. Davis had grown strong relationships as well with several of his Lakers teammates, especially LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Davis's son had recently bonded with Reaves during bus rides, and Reaves said after the trade that he had "an empty pit" in his stomach.

Davis denied feeling emotions at this point before Wednesday's game, but he did previously acknowledge the emotions of a reunion game, particularly with Doncic's return to Dallas, during a recent interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

"Obviously, it’s going to be an emotional game, the first time playing against them [in Los Angeles] next season," Davis told Spears. "But who knows what happens in the playoffs and the play-in. But I think my first game back in L.A. actually playing would be a little bit more emotional for me. I know it will be an emotional game [April 9] just because Luka is coming back, and everybody in Dallas still loves him."

More NBA on Sports Illustrated

Published
Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

Home/NBA