The Los Angeles Lakers refused to acquire a center to play next to Anthony Davis, and the Dallas Mavericks are also going against his wish. Fans know AD’s best position is the five, but the future Hall of Famer always wants to be a power forward. He urged the Lakers to get a center to play next to him. Instead, the Lakers sent him to Dallas in the shocking Luka Doncic trade. Now, the Mavs are reaching the same conclusion about AD.
Davis played his first game since Oct. 29 when Dallas faced the Lakers on Friday night. He was on a minute’s limit, and Dallas didn’t have Dereck Lively II. Still, head coach Jason Kidd had Daniel Gafford at his disposal. Gafford started 12 of his 13 games played before facing LA. J-Kidd didn’t play Davis and Gafford together for one second against the Lakers.
The Lakers were not playing a double big lineup, but Davis was strictly used as a five. Clearly, the Mavericks have reached the same conclusion as Los Angeles. The ten-time All-Star is a center, even if he doesn’t want to be.
Lakers fans can only laugh at the Mavericks' Anthony Davis realization
AD admitted he wanted to return against his former team. He didn’t want to leave Los Angeles. Nobody can blame the Lakers. It was their chance to fleece the Mavericks and grab one of the top three players in the world. Still, Davis is a future Hall of Famer and was not happy about being shipped out in the deal.
AD has struggled to stay on the floor since arriving in Dallas. Friday was just his sixth game of this season. He only played in nine after the trade. The Lakers couldn’t believe their luck that they were able to trade Davis for one of the best players in the world, despite his lengthy injury history.
The 6’10 big man is a subpar 3-point shooter, which creates floor spacing issues when he plays at the four. Davis is an elite defender, rebounder, and scorer. He helped the Lakers win the championship in 2020 and will forever be a legend in Los Angeles. That doesn’t change the fact that fans know AD is wrong about his best position.
The Mavericks reached the same conclusion. Jason Kidd is a Hall of Fame point guard. He knows that Dallas needs Davis to anchor their defense and operate at center to maximize his production. It is why he played AD exclusively at the five in his return.
The Los Angeles Lakers still can’t believe this trade happened. Luka Doncic seemed absolutely untouchable and had just led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals months before the deal. It cost the Lakers Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round draft pick, but they would do it every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Davis is elite, but Doncic is on a different level.
The Lakers are serious title contenders again, and fans are certainly laughing as the Mavericks are giving AD the same treatment he got in LA. Davis has to realize that he is best at the five. He may not like it, but sometimes the truth is painful.