"I just don’t believe it": Anthony Davis gets brutally honest about Lakers trading him for Luka Doncic, rejects claims that no one knew

Anthony Davis returned to the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday for the first time since the Lakers traded him for Luka Doncic earlier this month. Davis, sidelined by a left abductor strain, didn’t suit up for the Dallas Mavericks and watched from the bench as his new team fell 107-99 to the Purple and Gold.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times following his return to LA, Davis addressed several topics related to his surprising trade away from the City of Angels. One of the key takeaways from his conversation was his continued disbelief that no one knew about the trade before it happened.

"Everybody’s saying nobody knew and all this other sh*t. I just don’t believe it," Davis said. "But, hey man, I’m past that. I’m ready to move forward with Dallas, try to get a championship there with these guys.

"First off, getting back on the floor and get ready to compete. All the emotions, that sh*t lasted that night when it was just a shock."

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka put together a package centered around Anthony Davis when Mavericks GM Nico Harrison offered Luka Doncic to the Purple and Gold. In addition to Davis, the Lakers sent Max Christie and draft compensation to Dallas in exchange for Doncic, Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber.

Anthony Davis not sure if the Lakers had to trade him

Anthony Davis came to terms with the trade as soon as it happened, understanding that the NBA is ultimately a business. However, the perennial All-Star is still uncertain whether the Lakers should have traded him to acquire superstar Luka Doncic.

"They wanted who they wanted. They did what they had to do," Davis said. "I don’t know if they had to, but it’s what they wanted to do. I moved on. I got a wife and kids to worry about, you know what I’m saying? And I’m figuring out how I’m going to get them to Dallas and get adjusted to that. It’s over with, and I’m moving on with my new team and what we got going on."

There is growing optimism that Davis could return to action soon, with a re-evaluation scheduled for next week. The one-time NBA champion has played only one game for the Mavericks, which was his debut against the Rockets.

Once Davis is back on the court, there is significant belief that the Mavericks will become a formidable challenge for any team in the West. With Davis joining forces with Kyrie Irving and a strong supporting cast, Dallas could make some noise as they push toward the playoffs.