The Lakers didn’t just trade Anthony Davis to Dallas without exploring other options. According to a report from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Los Angeles had preliminary talks with multiple teams before the Luka Doncic blockbuster, including the Boston Celtics.
“Of the teams that the Lakers spoke with when they were first putting out feelers for Davis, the Boston Celtics held a couple of calls with Los Angeles, sources said,” wrote Siegel. “Nothing ever progressed to where there was any actual momentum, but Los Angeles was receiving signals that Brad Stevens and his front office were receptive to the idea.”
Those conversations never gained traction, but the Celtics didn’t shut the door either. They remain as an interesting potential landing spot, joining teams like the Bulls, Heat, and Golden State Warriors as good fits for Davis.
“The five-word message the Lakers got back from Boston was enough to let them know they would consider such a move in the summer: ‘We’ll keep it in mind.’”
At the time of negotiations with the Lakers, Boston was already preparing to cut costs and restructure the roster. With Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, there was internal dialogue about shaking things up. A move for Davis, even if it meant trading Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and other assets, was something the Celtics seriously considered, and for good reason.
Despite his extensive injury history, Davis is a premium NBA big man who can turn any team into instant contenders. If not for his poor durability and concerns about his work ethic, the Lakers might not have tried trading him at all, at least until Nico Harrison’s phone call.
In Boston, Davis could have thrived on a stacked roster with a true championship culture. Alongside Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, he could have won another title.
In return, the Lakers could have gotten a package that included Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and multiple future draft picks. In an alternate universe, this is the reality the Lakers are living in.
In this reality, however, that trade never got to happen because the Mavericks made Rob Pelinka an offer he just could not refuse. With his trust in Davis having deteriorated, Rob did not have to think twice about accepting the swap for Luka Doncic. After all, Dallas’ package was greater than anything the Lakers could have hoped for.
So while parting ways with their beloved big man was not the ending LA hoped for, it is the one they had planned for months after growing disillusioned with his careless attitude.
It was only blind luck that they landed Luka Doncic in the process, and now they are set for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis continues to see limited action on the court as he recovers from his latest injury. On a 3-9 Mavericks team that just fired its GM, it is fair to say Davis would have been better off in Boston. It’s a shame they missed their window.
If the Celtics had pushed harder for Anthony Davis, they might have been able to land a generational big man at a major discount. But instead, they hesitated, and the Lakers found a better deal. Now, Davis is in Dallas, the Lakers have Luka Doncic, and Boston is left to wonder what might have been.
