Anthony Davis hugs with Luka Doncic after the game, AD also shares some words and laughter with Austin Reaves
One ironic part of the trade is that the best possible running mate for Luka over the last 5 years or so would’ve been AD: an all time great defensive anchor and elite play finisher on the other end who needs a star level creator next to him
Also AD would not have been able to stay healthy unfortunately.
Fwiw, AD was pretty dang healthy his last few years as a Laker. He came back heavy after the championship and had rough injuries, but was pretty solid after that. He then got moved to Dallas and they rushed him back and turned a minor injury into a more major injury.
AD showed he can do ~ 60 games/year. He also would’ve hugely benefitted from Ayton joining
I think that AD wanted to play mainly for the Dallas fans. They were upset at that trade, rightfully so. It was definitely too early.
Luka ain’t exactly been the picture of health either
Luka has missed award requirements one time ever, last year, after playing through multiple injuries and carrying his team to the finals the year before. AD has qualified once in the past 5 years, and has played half as many post-season games in those 5 years.
This seems a bit disingenuous.
Luka has played five more games than AD over the last three years brudda
3 years is a hilariously specific cherry-picking given that it lets you count AD’s one season of actually playing a high volume of game this decade while ignoring how many he played in the seasons right before.
Three years seemed like a fine number of years to use to judge a players’ recent health. You only disagree because you can’t help but defend Luka.
Sure. Lol.
And you only saying that because you have a clear bias against Luka so 🤷♂️
That’s completely not true I mean he’s not playing 78 games a year but he’s also not playing below 65
Luka has played five more games than AD over the last three years
Ad played 36 , 40 and 56 regular season games in three consecutive years for the lakers
Luka and him are not on the same level health wise
So it makes sense why they were traded for each other then.
found Nico’s burner
From 2018 until now, AD played under 65 games four times.
Luka played under 65 games 1 time.
So no, it does not make sense.
My comment to that person was sarcasm. Because their reply made no sense.
I should have added the /s.
Embarrassing
Cmon man! There are levels to health game. Luka barely misses games.
Do you have any other retorts to this or is it just this five more games bs
Do you have an actual rationale as to how Luka playing five more games than AD over the last three years makes him significantly less prone to missing games, Luka glazer?
Ah you’re just a troll, ok bye!
That’s what I thought. Run along
How about we use the last five years instead of cherrypicking an incredibly specific last three? If i knocked on your head I think it would echo.
More ironic is the only better player for the last 5 years than Luka was Lebron
A lot of shoulda woulda coulda’s with AD.
You could say the same thing replacing Luka with LeBron and yet…
The ironic part is that I like u
AD said he would have loved to play alongside Luka or Jokic given how much he enjoyed playing with them in the allstar. In a different timeline maybe…
Night of the trade, before the details came out, I thought it was Bron for Luka.
Oh brother here we go with this shitb
Giannis? I would say has the edge over AD for best duo with Luka in the last 5 years
Nah Giannis is more ball dominant than AD is, he was struggling when trying to play off ball with dame. AD was built to be an elite #2 on offense who can be fed by an ATG facilitator
I think AD’s best running mate would have been a good stretch 5, like Turner or younger Horford. Someone to defend the bigger bigs and let him roam, and spot-up 3’s to give him space.
True although Luka has been vocal about wanting rim rolling/alley oop catching bigs
AD can’t shoot 3’s lmao
Seriously what starting PF in 2025 is shooting 27% from 3 on 2 attempts/g. There is some delusion that we have around AD that it’s still 2015 and this shit doesn’t matter.
I get that he wants to play PF. But he needs to give teams a reason to play him there. You’ve had several seasons to work on your shot and it’s only regressed since NO and 19-20.
That’s my main issue with him. If he could truly space the floor combined with his defensive prowess, i could digest this god awful trade better.
Lakers fan miss you, AD 🥲
You’ll be okay
Does not mean we have any less love or respect for AD. He holds a special place in the city and fans of LA
Take him back pls
You can have him back
Enjoy mediocrity by not appreciating greatness clown. AD is great and gives his all.
He literally hasn’t done anything for the Mavs. What would they appreciate
He’s LITERALLY not playing. We went from greatness to a guy who doesn’t play and will be gone within a year.
They’d never do that as much as they post these performative comments
performative comments
As if that’s our decision to trade him back. If a trade happens where he comes back, I’ll be ecstatic.
Ya’ll are getting so incredibly weird lol, genuinely
Laker fans quite literally can’t say anything positive about missing and having love for a dude who was arguably the best player on a championship team for us without a flock of Mavs flairs saying “yOu’Re BeiNg pErFoRmaTiVe” LMAO
WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRADE…NO POWER…NO INFLUENCE…NOTHING TO DO WITH IT LOL
So the angst and sass directed towards fans quite literally just expressing their adoration for a former player is getting so fucking weird lmao jfc
You seem upset
I have a top 3 player on my team that’s a 2 seed, i’m loving life actually hbu?
I’m great. My happiness doesn’t come from a children’s game. Just wanted to check on your mental health, the unprovoked wall of text and caps, and weird capitalization seemed like the onset of a mental breakdown.
Cry me a fucking river
Get this bum off my team
Ain’t no bum, not his fault Nico is a grade A imbecile
He is a bum
Yeah y’all didn’t deserve Luka lmao, can’t even respect AD
Lmao yeah because the two are the same. Shut up
Luka whispered “ask for a buyout”
Stretch and waives are so hot rn
He whispered “Lebron awaits thee, O promised consort.”
Promised Consrt Davis
Or: ‘get fat’… which may not help as Nico is not there anymore…
For anyone wondering LeBron hugged him, did the handshake, and talked while the Lakers were dribbling out the clock. Cameras just missed it.
I also guarantee Bron and AD are hanging out around the game. Saw Bron + Love at a fancy restaurant in SLC before the Jazz game last week
Lmao yeah Bron not sticking around to talk to AD when his ass gotta go do his recovery process and then get ready to link up with AD right after.
Delete this. Why are you taking away fuel for Stephen A Smith to start spitting some hot shit.
This league’s perception and fans have become so soft.
Really feel for Anthony Davis in a perfect world he plays for the lakers for the rest of his career. He’s really a victim of circumstance. If the lakers make the right rosters moves and maybe dont sign Russel Westbrook. They don’t need to get bailed out like they need to with Luka. And again Nico is a fucking idiot like who trades Luka doncic? But also who says no to that trade? It’s tough.
Or kept Caruso
I agree. There’s a thousand bad decisions they made after winning the championship it’s quite a bit baffling. Especially because for a bit Anthony Davis wind up actually being healthy for quite a bit
They really should’ve won one more championship.
He has been more injury prone the last few years. That’s why they were willing to let him go. Had he been healthy for at least 65 games then I believe it would have been different.
He is one of the few in the league who is a legit 2 way player. Being a beast on both ends of the floor.
He played 76 games the year before last. But yeah no I agree with this the injuries didn’t help as well. I think even if he did play 65 games last year or more I mean they still send his to Dallas for Luka. Realistically AD’s timeline is shorter than Lukas obviously. And I mean my memory might be hazy but AD still coulda played like 60 games last year. Brother got injured putting the mavs on his back for one game hahaha. But again I think if they had made better roster moves the conversation would’ve at least looked different. Ad has been there for most of the playoffs. Shit they made it to the conference finals on a weaker roster.
AD: “I’m sorry for what you had to endure.”
Luka: “I’m sorry for what you have to endure”
Klay: “What about me?”
Seems like such a good locker room guy. He’ll be a great udonis haslem when he’s 40
He’ll be 5 years removed from basketball at that point imo
I meant reaves lol
Oh lol.
I thoughtd AD or maybe Luka.
For Reaves it seems to early to tell. May go the JJ / Haslem route or suddenly disappear.
I thought that woman was the Mavs PR person who put out a heart felt thank you video and got some blowback from the Mavs. When Luka told her to take a picture, I thought he was joking with her “I hope you don’t get fired for this” from the way she laughed.
to have this type of connection from your star to a team staff speaks volume. what a shame, nico.
Right? The fact that Luka has this bond with the social media admin speaks to what an amazing guy he is.
She was (and I think still is) on the Mavs social media team
Thanks for 2020 chip AD forever a Laker in our hearts
So he’s getting bought out and joining them right lol
Luka with her hermano Kyrie too
FUCK YOU NICO !
0:31 is that the Mavs social media person? Becky iirc?
Love AD. Always a Laker.
wheres lebron? lol
They dapped before the game was over, shown on the broardcast
Did Luka dap up Kidd?
Is it me or is he not as friendly toward LeBron compared to the other guys since the trade. They did their little handshake but AD’s face was deadpan while Rui and AR got smiles and laughs in their interreaction. Just something I noticed wondering if others did as well
AD just said in an interview yesterday that Bron is one of his best friends. They’re probably getting dinner after the game.
Yeah people literally somehow don’t get how friendships work. If you’re my boy, why am I going to stick around after the game to talk to you on the court when we’re going to be chilling afterward anyways.
LeBron was talking to him for a bit before the time ran out but the broadcast didn’t show it
LeBron was talking to the Mavs bench a lot. Kyrie was also there.
Everyone, except DLo
Nah he dapped up DLo after the game too
man it’s guys like you that make ESPN promote the game like it’s a soap opera. do you enjoy basketball more than playing armchair psychology while watching?
AD deep down probably thinks LeBron knew about the trade before it happened
Lebron approached the mavs earlier before these sequences
[deleted]
He literally dapped up LeBron and was talking to him shortly before this
He ignored Lebron
AD was the first person Bron dapped up smh
Then why did I see Bron and AD do their handshake at the end of the game…? 🧐
No he didn’t he dapped up LeBron right before this. That clip that’s going around cut it out
I was wondering if they had already done a lot of talking before the game, because at the end they were completely ignoring eachother while standing like 1 feet away from eachother dapping up everybody but eachother lol.
l read lips:
AD - And then Nico told me: ‘we’re gonna get the #1 pick but don’t you tell anyone’. Austin - No waaay!
AD - And then Nico told me: ‘we’re gonna get the #1 pick but don’t you tell anyone’.
Austin - No waaay!
never knew ad and reaves were so close
Super! I mean AD/lebron are the reason Austin was given an opportunity when he was a two way. Plus AD’s kids love Austin so much, they always ask for him lol
I think coaches have to dryclean their suits after every game from hugging countless sweaty athletes.
Mike Penberthy!!!
Why’s Lukas “friend” got a phone in his face lol. There’s professional cameramen surrounding you lady!
Going to be hilarious when it turns out they’re a paper tiger and get wrecked in the first round again.
You guys got us at our worst. Let’s be real now, you really don’t want this smoke for another series. Just enjoy that one for as long as you can.
Well, Wolves aren’t going to be built to go to the WCF again this year while we re-tool a bit (need a PG and a backup Center at a minimum), but no, I’m not that scared of “this smoke” in the playoffs. The Lakers are better than last year, but the playoffs are totally different and I think the Lakers’ lack of depth is going to be an issue in that format. I’d for sure prefer the Lakers instead of OKC, Houston, Denver, and possibly even SA (tbd).
I agree, Playoffs are different and that’s where the advantage lies for us. There’s a reason the Lakers while being a pretty average team the first 3 quarters of every game somehow turn it around and go crazy in the 4th.
Even without making any moves, I favor us over Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs. Houston and Spurs I’m not that worried about. They have players that still need to prove it in the playoffs and I actually think you guys can go pound for pound with them. Idk how ya’ll can do it but if there’s a way to get off Rudy and get a good return, that can shift things a lot.
With that said I think the Lakers will definitely make a move to get off Kleber, Knecht, Gabe by the deadline. Hopefully find a guy to replace Rui in the starting lineup and bring him off the bench instead.
As a lifelong laker fan, I can confidently say I don’t miss AD at all. And that doesn’t have to do with the fact that we have Luka. I wouldn’t trade AR for him.
People are gonna freak out, but I wouldn’t even trade Ayton or Rui for AD at this point.
The chemistry is just too good.
Such a bad take.
Ungrateful af. Any real laker fan has nothing but love for AD. His jersey belongs in the rafters
Lakers did AD dirty by trading him he brought them a ring
Gang it was for Luka Doncic be fr lmao
AD gave the Lakers more than Luka has
No shit it hasn’t even been a year yet
Well no shit Lukas played like 50 games with us lol
Yeah, his twenties. Now they want Lukas
Who is saying no to that trade lmao
Lakers did give him a max extension couple years back.
Thats why player “loyalty” is shit and shouldn’t even be a thing
Tbf, lakers were loyal to him but who doesn’t say no to fucking luka doncic esp when it was dallas who started the talks lol. Basically saved rob’s job