Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers changed the landscape of the NBA by trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks to acquire Luka Doncic. While the move came as a shock to many, with Davis also revealing how taken aback he was recently, there may have been hints to suggest that the move was inevitable.
During a recent episode of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd revealed that Davis being traded shouldn’t have come as a surprise since he showed up to camp overweight after winning the 2020 NBA title.
“I don’t think it’s that complicated. After they won the ‘Covid’ title, Anthony Davis came to camp out of shape. LeBron wasn’t overjoyed with that. He was looking to pass the baton to some degree -reduced minutes- to slightly extend his career,” Cowherd stated.
“AD had a season, or maybe a season and a third, where he was in unbelievable shape for the Lakers, best maybe in his career. He played 76 games, first team All-Defense, All-NBA… When he got traded to Dallas, what happened? Hurt again, shows up to camp 15 lbs overweight. The why was always right out in front.”
For the most part, Cowherd seems to make a great point. When healthy, Anthony Davis consistently positioned himself as a contender for DPOY and even looked like an MVP-caliber player at times. Unfortunately, injuries have routinely gotten the better of him.
During his best season with the Lakers (2023-24), he averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. While it is apparent that he is capable of great things, showing up to camp out of shape and struggling to stay healthy undoubtedly harmed his reputation with the Lakers’ front office.
Can Anthony Davis Turn Things Around In Washington?
After being moved to the Dallas Mavericks midway through the 2024-25 season, Davis appeared in only nine games for the team, averaging 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. While underwhelming given what they had lost, the Mavs were hopeful that Davis would play a bigger role in the following season.
Davis looked like his former self early in the 2025-26 season, but it wasn’t long before injuries derailed his campaign. In 51 games, Davis only appeared in 20, averaging 20.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
In a way, it is understandable why the Mavericks would choose to trade Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. Although the move sees Davis join another rebuilding team, this may prove to be quite promising.
Next season, the Wizards will boast an interesting star duo featuring Davis alongside former Hawks superstar Trae Young. With the potential to be an elite one-two punch, they can make the Wizards an intriguing team to watch.
Along with these two, Washington also features some talented young players such as Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. Should the Wizards also find themselves in a position to land a lottery pick, they could emerge as a team to keep an eye on next season.
Overall, the circumstances may not seem favorable to Anthony Davis, but there is still an opportunity for him to reassert himself as an elite NBA player. For that, however, he must find a way to address his recurring injury issues.
