When Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka traded superstar forward Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for standout point guard Luka Doncic on Feb. 2, many didn’t believe the Lakers deserved to be crowned winners of the blockbuster deal.
Los Angeles had a solid foundation with Davis in the fold and won a championship in 2020 with the 32-year-old as their second-best player. Anthony Davis has only played 14 of 52 games since the Luka Doncic trade.
However, a key stat involving Davis and the Mavericks proves Pelinka was a genius for being bold enough to complete the historic transaction.
“Anthony Davis has only played 14 of 52 games since the Luka Doncic trade,” the X/Twitter account ‘Mark Jackson Burner’ stated during the Mavericks’ Friday night contest vs. the Lakers.
It’s a well-known fact that availability is the best ability in the big leagues, which, unfortunately, Davis can’t relate to.
Pelinka knew where things were headed with Davis, as the Kentucky product, who was no stranger to significant injuries in a Lakers uniform, began to transform into a player virtually impossible to build around.
Davis suffered a strained abdominal muscle during a Jan. 28 contest against the Philadelphia 76ers that forced him to exit the contest early, which proved to be the last straw for Pelinka and the Lakers.
With Davis continuing to experience health concerns at his new NBA home, there’s no question that Pelinka knew what he was doing nine months ago.
While Doncic has missed games with the Lakers due to injury, he’s proven to be more reliable health-wise, making Los Angeles’ future look brighter than Dallas’.
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