When it comes to blockbuster trades, which add their own flavor to the modern NBA, there was none bigger than the Anthony Davis one in 2019. AD was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that paired the iconic big with LeBron James.
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The Purple and Gold had to give up a significant amount to acquire a then-26-year-old Davis. To bring him over, they gave the Pelicans Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks, including LA’s #4 overall pick in the 2019 draft, which became De’Andre Hunter.
The Lakers were really rolling the dice on AD, and pushed for the trade even though Pelicans owner, Gayle Benson, was dead against it in the beginning. It turned out to be all worth it for LA.
Davis became a massive asset in Los Angeles. In that first year, he averaged 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. That’s really good considering he also missed 20 games that season.
He carried over that excellent play in the postseason. In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, he scored 31 points and hit a walk-off game-winning 3. The Lakers went on to win a championship that year, the historic franchise’s 17th title. The Lakers indeed won the trade.
Funny enough, the big deal almost didn’t happen. In 2019, when rumors of AD possibly going to the Lakers surfaced, Benson shut that down in the media. ESPN covered the story and shared a quote from journalist Jackie MacMullan, who relayed how Benson felt about Davis.
“We have been told, I think through channels— most of us heard the same scuttlebutt — that Gayle Benson has basically told him [AD], ‘To the Lakers, over my dead body’,” MacMullan was quoted.
That’s a pretty strong statement to make as a team owner, and a true indication that the franchise felt very strongly about maintaining AD’s talents in New Orleans. However, the nature of the sports business, particularly the NBA, is that a deal can always be made.
That statement makes it seem like Davis’ eventual departure may have caused some bad blood between him and Benson. But a statement from the Pels’ owner in 2019 made it clear that he knows the nature of the business sometimes means trading away your star player.
“I really like what we have in place. I really like Anthony, but if he wants to leave, you can’t hold him back. A lot of people that left, I don’t ever hold grudges with people,” Benson was quoted as saying.
The trade was made, and is considered one of the most substantial player-for-assets trades in modern NBA history. Davis was involved in another blockbuster trade this past season, when the Lakers said goodbye to their big, sending him over to Dallas in exchange for Luka Doncic.
Davis didn’t seem too displeased with his time in Los Angeles coming to an end. He got a ring under his belt and got to the ball next to one of the game’s greatest players.
But his 2024-2025 season hit a snag when he suffered an injury in his Mavs debut. Davis returned, but the squad didn’t have enough firepower to last in the Play-In. Perhaps next year they can bounce back.
