It’s been over a year now since the trade that ended Anthony Davis‘ time in Los Angeles and made him a Maverick. While he has since been traded again (to the Washington Wizards), that exit from the Lakers is still fresh in his mind as the moment where everything changed.
In a recent sit-down with Draymond Green on his podcast (The Draymond Green Show), the former Mavericks big man opened up on the aftermath of the trade and what the scene was like in Dallas. Specifically, he revealed one moment in his hotel room in Dallas, where he received an anonymous warning from an angry fan.
“I get to Dallas, and I check into the hotel. I got some food, came back, and it was one of those cards by the door,” said Davis. “I get the letter, and it reads, ‘Dear AD, hope you’re liking your time in Dallas. Here in Dallas, we love Dirk, BBQ, the Cowboys, and Luka. What we love more than all of that is championships,” the message wrote. ‘The boos you’re going to hear are not for you.’ It had no name, nothing. So, right there coming in, it’s about to get crazy.”
Mavericks fans were notoriously furious after the Luka Doncic trade. After watching him develop into one of the league’s shining stars, fans felt betrayed when GM Nico Harrison traded him away without so much as a warning to Doncic himself. As much as the front office tried to justify the move, it was quickly cited as one of the worst trades in sports history and a colossal blunder by the Mavericks.
All the while, fans were doing everything to express their discontent. From boycotts to protests and online harassment, the pressure was enough to cost Nico Harrison his job. To this day, the team is still trying to recover (13th in the West at 25-54), and it could take years before they are in a position to compete again.
For Anthony Davis, who was still fresh off his split from the Lakers, the whole experience was surreal. Just a few months earlier, he had dreams of winning another title with the Lakers. Now, he was a Maverick, getting anonymous warnings from the very fans who were supposed to be cheering him on.
It was a tough period for Davis, and he responded by giving the Mavericks everything he had, averaging 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game on 49.2% shooting and 25.4% shooting from three. In the end, despite his best efforts, his tenure was a failure that ended after just 29 games played with the team.
Today, at 33 years old, time is no longer on Davis’ side. With his extensive injury history, we can only expect a few more years of elite-level play. That’s if he manages to stay healthy. This season, he has yet to play for the Wizards as he continues his recovery, but there is optimism about the path ahead. Specifically, if he can find synergy with Trae Young, it will be a major step for the Wizards that could make them a serious threat in the years to come.
