Dallas Mavericks introduce Anthony Davis as fans continue to protest Luka Doncic trade
DALLAS – Anthony Davis faced the media for the first time as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, days after the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to the Mavs as part of a package for Luka Doncic.
Davis, 31, has been an NBA All-Star 10 times and an All-NBA player five times. He was on the Lakers team that won the 2020 NBA Championship in the COVID bubble and won a gold medal with the U.S. Men's Basketball Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The trade, which shocked the sports world, also saw Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris head from Dallas to L.A. The Mavs also received Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick.
Christie answered questions alongside Davis at the press conference as well as did Caleb Martin, who came to the Mavs in a separate trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mavs General Manager Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the trade, told ESPN that the deal sets the team up for present and future success. "I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance," Harrison said.
So far, Mavericks fans have not been convinced. Since the trade was announced, fans have protested in front of the American Airlines Center and launched a billboard campaign aimed at team management. Celestial Beerworks, a brewery in Dallas' Design District, quickly developed a new beer called "Sell The Team." They describe it as a double hazy IPA with 7.7% alcohol by volume, a nod to Doncic's jersey number.
Mavs fans will have yet another say on Saturday afternoon when the team plays its first home game since the trade, hosting the Houston Rockets.
