Lakers Discussed Potential Anthony Davis Trade With Rival Celtics Prior to Luka Doncic Deal

Dec 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) shoots against Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis was nearly traded to the Boston Celtics before the Luka Doncic trade was finalized, which sent him to the Dallas Mavericks.

Los Angeles, in a trade that seemingly came out of nowhere, dealt Davis in the middle of last season for Luka Doncic, the younger superstar who had been in the running for the best player in the league.

They sent over Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick for Doncic in one of the most shocking deals in NBA history. It was unprecedented for a team to trade away a player of Doncic's caliber before they even reached their prime.

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Initially, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka portrayed the deal as a spontaneous opportunity rather than an effort to shop Davis; however, new reporting from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints claims the Lakers were shopping Davis to other teams before the Doncic deal materialized.

"Of the teams that the Lakers spoke with when they were first putting out feelers for Davis, the Boston Celtics held a couple of calls with Los Angeles, sources said," Segeil wrote.

"Nothing ever progressed to where there was any actual momentum, but Los Angeles was receiving signals that Brad Stevens and his front office were receptive to the idea.

"The five-word message the Lakers got back from Boston was enough to let them know they would consider such a move in the summer: 'We'll keep it in mind.' It is worth noting that the Celtics were next to the Lakers in terms of pursuing Davis when he was traded from the Pelicans in 2019.

"Before Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in the playoffs, the Celtics were already signaling that they were going to cut costs in the offseason. This still could have been achieved by trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, both of whom were dealt in the summer, along with other assets in a big deal for Davis. It was certainly something for the Celtics to consider."

The Lakers and Celtics had discussions about an Anthony Davis trade prior to the Luka Doncic trade with the Mavs, per @BrettSiegelNBA.

"Of the teams that the Lakers spoke with when they were first putting out feelings for Davis, the Boston Celtics held a couple of calls with Los… pic.twitter.com/iViCKO2xdK

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 14, 2025

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Davis was the co-star of former teammate LeBron James, sharing the mantle of being a franchise player for the Lakers.

The Lakers built their team around the pairing, and it delivered an NBA championship in 2020, though injuries and roster-building mistakes prevented them from achieving further success.

The former Kentucky Wildcat was 31 years old at the time of the deal, and considering his injury history, it was likely the latter half of his physical prime, meaning the Lakers were likely preparing to move on from Davis before he experienced a noticeable drop-off in performance.

While the Celtics have shown a reluctance to deal with the Lakers, Los Angeles did not share the same stance when it came to Davis, wanting the best trade package possible in a roster rebuilding effort.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.