Does Anthony Davis hold ill will towards the Los Angeles Lakers for trading him last February? If he does, can you really blame him? The franchise sent him away in the shock of the century, forcing him to endure the hot mess of the Dallas Mavericks that followed the overnight blockbuster.
Davis has only appeared in five games for the Mavericks during 2025-26 thus far. A calf injury sidelined him pretty definitively with concerns of it evolving into a much larger ailment. However, the former Lakers champion has been inching closer to a return date.
The next two matchups for the Mavericks would be a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday against the two Los Angeles teams. Davis was asked by reporters if the star big man had a preference of which team he wanted to play. The former Laker had a good laugh.
“That’s a real question,” Davis asked the interviewer. “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical and coaching staff. … At the end of the day, the main thing is just getting back on the floor, whether it’s Friday or Saturday.”
Anthony Davis isn’t done with the Lakers—his words hint at revenge
Davis has only played one game against the Lakers since the infamous Luka Doncic trade. The star big man posted 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one block, and four turnovers against his old team, shooting only 5-of-13 from the field.
The Mavericks lost a disappointing 112-97 outing, with Doncic dominating in his return to Dallas being the main story of the night. That had to feel unsatisfying for Davis.
To say that AD was not an important part of Lakers history would be wrong. There is no 2020 championship without him joining LeBron James in Los Angeles.
When trade rumors of Davis began swirling following the Nico Harrison firing earlier in the season, many quickly pointed to a reunion with his old team as a fun possibility. That thought has been quickly extinguished with the Lakers’ strong play since James’ return and some unfavorable stories coming out about the end of Davis’ time in Los Angeles.
In all fairness, there was never any real momentum behind that idea, nor should there have been. If the underlying feelings that are suggested by Davis’ comments are any indicator, the awkwardness of that scenario would have been insurmountable, only adding to the impracticality.
Payback could be on the menu when Friday arrives. However, given Davis’ health and the Mavericks’ overall struggles, the more likely result is another cold reminder of just how good the Lakers have it without their old star.