The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly were the only team to make a “significant” offer to the New Orleans Pelicans for superstar Anthony Davis back in 2019.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer offered some insight on the matter.
“When Anthony Davis was on the trade block in 2019, the [Boston] Celtics only internally deliberated on including [Jaylen] Brown in a package to New Orleans—the Pelicans’ one significant offer for Davis came from Los Angeles, sources said,” Fischer wrote.
Fortunately for the Lakers, they didn’t have much competition for Davis, which allowed them to pair the star big man with LeBron James.
The Lakers saw immediate success from the pairing, as the team went on to win the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season. Davis was fantastic that season, especially in the league’s Orlando, Fla. bubble.
During the campaign, he averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The Lakers had to give up several young players for Davis, including Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, but the move paid off when the Lakers won the championship.
Lakers fans certainly are grateful that another NBA team didn’t outbid Los Angeles when Davis was available in 2019.
Now, the Lakers are hoping Davis can get back to his old form after two straight injury-riddled seasons. The Lakers failed to make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, and Davis played in just 40 games.
Time will tell if the 29-year-old has any more dominant seasons left in the tank.
