Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss recently admitted that she was the person that gave the final go-ahead for the 2019 blockbuster trade that saw the Lakers acquire Anthony Davis.
Jeanie Buss says it was her decision to ultimately trade for @AntDavis23 before the 2019-20 season. #LakersNation #LakersDoc #NBATwitter #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/QuwCCOlatO
— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) October 10, 2022
“It was a moment of truth,” Buss said. “In order to get a great talent like Anthony Davis, you have to give up great talent, and ultimately, it was my decision to push the button.”
The comments by Buss are part of the Hulu documentary series “Legacy: The True Story of the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Davis was acquired in 2019 after the previous season’s signing of LeBron James was neutralized by injuries, once again keeping the Lakers out of the postseason.
The deal also involved the Washington Wizards, but the New Orleans Pelicans received the key assets from the Lakers.
Those assets included the quartet of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and De’Andre Hunter. The Lakers also had to surrender multiple first-round picks and cash in the deal.
The trade was obviously a major topic of conversation during that offseason, with the Lakers and their fans hoping that an NBA title would be one of the byproducts of the deal.
During Davis’ first season with the Lakers, the team was thriving with a 49-14 record. However, the immediate shutdown of the league in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic put the Lakers’ title hopes in doubt.
After more than four months away, the Lakers and most of the other NBA teams resumed the season in Orlando, Fla. Following the completion of the regular season, the Lakers managed to navigate their way through the postseason and capture their first league title in a decade.
Season two for Davis with the Lakers had hopes of another title. However, key injuries to both Davis and James sidetracked that momentum and instead resulted in a quick playoff exit.
After that season, another blockbuster trade brought guard Russell Westbrook to the Lakers, with similar hopes of another title resurfacing. Instead, injuries limited Davis to just 40 games last season and were a major reason why the Lakers failed to even make the postseason.
Buss’ family has owned the Lakers for more than four decades, with unparalleled success taking place during that span. For Buss, the hope for the upcoming season is that Davis returns to form and the Lakers are able to at least make a deep playoff run.
