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LeBron James Reflects on 'Special' Anthony Davis Bond After First Game Post-Trade

The pair have been teammates since 2019.

Brigid Kennedy

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and forward Anthony Davis on Mar 18, 2024.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and forward Anthony Davis on Mar 18, 2024. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Looks like LeBron James is going to miss having close friend and former teammate Anthony Davis by his side.

After the Los Angeles Lakers' first game without AD, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend in exchange for Luka Doncic, the 40-year-old forward took a minute to reflect on the bond he and Davis share and the memories they've made in their five-and-a-half seasons as teammates.

"Great. It was great," James told reporters after the Lakers' 122-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. "It was everything and more. Literally became brothers over the last five-and-a-half years. What we were able to accomplish on the floor, obviously that goes without saying, but more importantly, what we was able to accomplish off the floor.

"Us growing together, knowing each other's families, seeing each other grow. Seeing each other's kids grow. It's pretty, pretty unique. Obviously, I was at his wedding when he got married. It's been special. Real special, for sure."

Davis joined the Lakers at James's urging back in 2019. Although the trade itself was not without its drama, the juice was definitely worth the squeeze; the team won the NBA title that same season. Without him, the team is down an incredibly talented and versatile big man.

“We know we have a need for a big,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters on Tuesday. “The market for bigs right now, leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline, is very dry. There's just not a lot available. So maybe we'll be able to do some stuff around the margins."

The world keeps spinning.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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