NBA – « Anthony Davis was always right » : did the Lakers make a mistake?

Par Mathieu Seguin | Rédacteur sport

While the arrival of Luka Doncic is pleasing for Lakers fans, the departure of Anthony Davis is still difficult to digest for some. And for many, the interior was undoubtedly right about the Angelinos’ situation.

As the playoffs continue, Lakers fans are still bitter after their first-round elimination. The franchise could have hoped for a better outcome, but the Luka Doncic trade undoubtedly unbalanced the squad. There were numerous shortcomings in the paint, and Rob Pelinka will have his work cut out for him over the off-season to rectify the situation.

Not an easy task when you consider the work involved, but he will have to do it if he is to satisfy the ambitions of Luka Doncic and those of LeBron James, who is expected to remain in the NBA for at least one more season. The recruitment of a pivot will be necessary to achieve the title objective, something Anthony Davis has been calling for for a very long time, and even a week before his trade.

Was Anthony Davis right for the Lakers?

Despite his presence, Davis had told Shams Charania that the Lakers needed to recruit a pivot in February. An extra player to take the pressure off the player and allow him to shine a little more, something the Lakers clearly refused on the face of it. In fact, LeBron James tackled his front office on the subject this week.

But if there’s one thing we can take away from this first-round elimination, it’s that yes, the Angelinos do need a true pivot, or even two important players in the racket to make a difference. Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert were praised for their performance, while one LA fan was quick to point out that Davis was right.

AD was always right, man. https://t.co/w1etfh5DdI

— cloading (@cloadingLA) May 2, 2025

Despite Doncic’s talent, some fans regret Davis’ departure and would have preferred the arrival of a dominant pivot. No doubt the outcome of this season would have been different for the Angelinos, although the Doncic trade also secures the organization’s future for the next 10 years. At least if he stays…