When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Anthony Davis, one of the players they had to relinquish was shooting guard Josh Hart.
Despite the passage of nearly three months since that deal has concluded, Hart remains bitter about how he found out about being dealt and delivered a stinging rebuke of the Lakers on social media.
I played my ass off for the purple and gold. Played hurt and never had an excuse. I’m truly grateful to the Lakers organization and I do understand the NBA is a business. But as a player you just want the courtesy of a phone call saying I got traded and not finding out on Twitter
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) September 5, 2019
.@joshhart now saying it wasn’t the organization he was talking about. He only had a problem with one person. pic.twitter.com/zLRM3tyjzl
— CAN’T BEAT LA (@CantBeatLA_) September 5, 2019
Hart, along with point guard Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and a host of future draft picks that included this year’s fourth overall pick De’Andre Hunter, was sent to the New Orleans Pelicans in June. That monstrous package of talent was indicative of the Lakers’ desire to trade for Davis, who arguably stands as the NBA’s top current player.
Yet, it’s clear that Hart believes that the Lakers showed disrespect toward the contributions the 24-year-old had made during his two seasons with the team. He had originally been chosen by the Utah Jazz with the final pick of the first round in the 2017 draft before being acquired by the Lakers that same night.
In those two seasons, Hart largely came off the bench for the Lakers, starting just 45 of his 130 games. The Villanova University product averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting 43.5 percent from the field and connecting for 170 3-pointers.
While Hart won’t get to be a part of a Lakers team that will now have Davis and LeBron James in the starting lineup, he will have the league’s most-watched rookie on his team. That would be Duke University forward Zion Williamson, the top pick in this year’s draft.
