How the process played out in the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Anthony Davis is something Steve Kerr was not a fan of.
The Los Angeles Lakers overhauled their roster this offseason. Their biggest acquisition was landing Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans in a trade.
This was a deal that was a long time coming. The two sides had been talking since February’s NBA Trade Deadline about a potential deal. Nothing came to fruition then, but talks heated up once again prior to the 2019 NBA Draft.
Los Angeles was determined to land Davis, giving them the second superstar they coveted to play alongside LeBron James. As the days went on, it became increasingly likely that Davis would eventually get his wish and end up with the Lakers.
The price to land Davis was not cheap. Los Angeles sent Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three future first-round picks, including the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, to New Orleans for the superstar big man.
While it was costly, it was a deal that both sides were happy about. New Orleans had their new face of the franchise coming in Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and a new core to build around for years to come. Los Angeles, a city of stars, had a 26-year old entering his prime ready to reach the next level.
While both teams involved in the deal came away happy, other people weren’t as pleased. One of those people that weren’t pleased with how things went down is Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr.
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Kerr is not happy that Davis essentially forced his way to the Lakers, saying it is bad for the league and players forcing their way to other teams while under contract is a real problem.
"“I’m talking more about the Anthony Davis situation,” Kerr told The Warriors Insider Podcast. “Where a guy is perfectly healthy and has a couple years left on his deal and says, ‘I want to leave.’ That’s a real problem that the league has to address and that the players have to be careful with.“When you sign on that dotted line, you owe your effort and your play to that team, to that city, to the fans. And then it’s completely your right to leave as a free agent. But if you sign the contract, then you should be bound to that contract.”"
Kerr probably isn’t the only person in the NBA that feels this way. However, the NBA is a player’s league and they are looking to take more control over where and who they play with.
At any job, if a person is unhappy with a situation they can voice their opinion and look for a change. Things change sometimes from when a contract is signed. Davis played seven seasons with the Pelicans and they never really came close to putting a competitive roster around him, so he wanted a change.
Davis isn’t the first and will certainly not be the last player to ask for a trade and try getting sent to a city he prefers. There were a number of teams that were on his preferred playing list, and at the end of the day, it was the Lakers who stepped up with an offer the Pelicans’ front office liked and accepted.