Anthony Davis finally breaks silence on Pelicans fallout and shocking Luka Doncic trade

The past few years have been a roller coaster of a ride for Anthony Davis. From leaving New Orleans for Los Angeles, and then being traded to the Mavericks for Luka Doncic, Davis has consistently been in the headlines for reasons nobody expected. 

In a recent interview on the "Draymond Green Show," Davis reveals where things went wrong in New Orleans and how he came to find out about the Luka Doncic trade.

Drafting Zion Williamson changed everything

According to Davis, his departure from New Orleans was not some sort of slow build up.

“So Ja Morant gets drafted number one instead of Zion, probably still a New Orleans Pelican…I think. Yep. I am probably still in New Orleans.”

He also explained that the issue was never about talent, but overall fit.

“I just didn’t see at the time where like me and Zion will work…we playing the same position…I was only playing the four…I’ve never played the five. I just didn’t see at the time where like me and Zion will work… we playing the same position…I was only playing the four…I’ve never played the five.”

Had the Pelicans drafted Ja Morant, the very landscape of the NBA may look very different today. Who knows where Zion would be? Davis likely would have never played for the Lakers, and the bombshell trade of Davis for Doncic never would have happened.

Anthony Davis chose winning over money

Davis made it pretty clear that this was not a financially motivated decision, as the Pelicans offered him a lucrative contract.

“New Orleans offered me a crazy deal…it’s not even about the money. Like I genuinely want to win. We just didn’t align on our goals as far as winning.”

At this point, Davis had already been through multiple roster resets and playoffs exits. He had also already made enough money during his career, and it boiled down to which team was going to give him the best opportunity to win. He ultimately felt that New Orleans was not prioritizing winning.

The lack of a tribute still bothers him

Most of Davis’ frustrations were business related, but then it got personal.

“When I went back, I did not get a tribute…I didn’t get a tribute. It wasn’t even a graphic that said thank you. It was nothing. That door is closed…there’s no way possible.”

Davis felt disrespected that upon his return to play in New Orleans that there was no tribute to him. He initially thought he would end his career in New Orleans, but since then, he has taken a hard stance that he will not return to New Orleans.

No indication that a trade was looming in Los Angeles

Davis was as surprised as everyone else about the trade that sent him to Dallas.

“I had no idea that I was even traded. Zero idea that this was happening. I couldn’t make sense of it… like why? What is the why?”

Davis didn’t even believe it at first and thought that someone was playing a joke on him.

“I said who the [expletive] they gonna trade me for? Luka… like who else can you trade me for on that team?”

He did, however, acknowledge that he understood it was a business decision.

“From the business standpoint…I can’t be mad. Luka is Luka.”

For the Lakers, that business decision has already paid dividends. They are one of the stronger teams in the Western Conference and will soon be heading into the playoffs. With LeBron James likely retiring in the near future, the Lakers have their cornerstone player for the foreseeable future in Doncic. 

How did that business decision work out for the Mavericks? While Davis himself did not make an immediate impact, they ultimately traded him to the Washington Wizards. This cleared $100M in cap space and they have now centered their rebuilding around rookie Cooper Flagg.

Looking back at it now

Davis did not leave the Pelicans in search of greener pastures. He left because he felt the pastures in New Orleans were not yielding the fruit he desired.

From the Pelicans' decision to draft Zion to his eventual trade from Los Angeles to Dallas, Davis never got a heads up. Never saw it coming.

At the center of all of it, the New Orleans exit and the Luka trade, is the same underlying theme. Davis was looking for stability, direction and a real chance to win, and in both situations, those things never fully lined up the way he expected.