Colin Cowherd claims Lakers, LeBron wanted to trade Anthony Davis

When the Los Angeles Lakers essentially swapped Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic in February 2025, it was a huge win for the franchise. While Davis had been a legitimate superstar for the Lakers and helped lead them to the NBA championship in 2020, there was a sense that the partnership between him and LeBron James had gone stale.

The big man recently vented about how he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic, and he expressed his dismay that Los Angeles didn't let him know beforehand that he was on his way out.

There have been whispers, albeit perhaps unsubstantiated ones, that James and the Lakers were ready to move on from Davis at the time. That was what Colin Cowherd strongly implied during a recent episode of "The Herd w/ Colin Cowherd" when he talked about the late stages of Davis' time with Los Angeles.

“I don’t think it’s that complicated,” Cowherd said. “After they won the ‘Covid’ title, Anthony Davis came to camp out of shape. LeBron wasn’t overjoyed with that. He was looking to pass the baton to some degree — reduced minutes — slightly to extend his career.

“... AD had about a season to maybe a season and a third, where he was in unbelievable shape for the Lakers, best maybe of his career. He played 76 games — first-team All-Defense, All-NBA. ... When he got traded to Dallas, what happened? Hurt again, shows up the following camp 15 pounds overweight. The why was always right out in front.”

“The why is why aren't always in great, elite shape.”

While Davis played in 76 games during the 2023-24 season and in 62 out of 72 games during the 2019-20 campaign, he spent long stretches of other seasons on the injured list with various ailments. During his time with the Lakers, plenty of fans attacked him for being injury-prone and for allegedly being out of shape, lazy and soft.

Davis had recently suffered an abdominal strain at the time of last year's trade. He made his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8, 2025, and since then, things have gone sharply downhill for him.

He strained his left adductor in that game and missed about a month and a half as a result. He then underwent a procedure to repair a detached retina in his eye in July, and he then sustained a hand injury in early January. He hasn't played since, and he was subsequently traded to the Washington Wizards.

Davis averaged 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds a game this season before injuring his hand, giving him his lowest scoring average since his rookie year.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Colin Cowherd claims Lakers, LeBron wanted to trade Anthony Davis