After Anthony Davis was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic in one of the most shocking moves in NBA history, LeBron James posted a heartfelt message wishing Davis well. Davis and James played five and a half seasons together with the Lakers and developed a close bond.
“Love you my dog!! Go crazy over there!” James wrote on his Instagram story. “Woe 4L. See you soon.”
The message was written on a picture of the two sharing a hug, and included a sad face emoji. This post came less than 24 hours after the news of the trade broke.
Davis arrived to the Lakers in 2019, a year after James. The duo clicked immediately. In their first season as teammates, they led the Lakers to the NBA championship.
Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said he had been discussing a potential deal with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka for about a month before it finally got over the finish line. However, very few people knew about the situation — including James, Davis and Doncic — until the news broke late Saturday night.
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Once the deal was agreed upon, Pelinka reportedly made a joint call with Davis and Lakers coach JJ Redick, then Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, and the last one to James, according to a report by ESPN.
Pelinka also shared a parting message for Davis through an official statement released by the Lakers.
“We are overwhelmingly thankful for AD’s six seasons with the Lakers, where he led our franchise to a championship and cemented himself as a perennial NBA All-Star,” Pelinka said.