During his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, it became increasingly apparent that Anthony Davis had grown weary of his role as the team’s starting center. Although an elite big man in every sense, Davis’ skill set was always more suited to that of a power forward, though others believed otherwise.
For years, Davis requested that the Lakers’ front office bring in another center and allow him to play as a power forward. Unfortunately, not only did Lakers GM Rob Pelinka ignore these requests, but he promptly offloaded Davis to the Mavericks in a historic trade for Luka Doncic.
Following the Lakers’ latest roster moves, Instagram user Cuffs The Legend called out Pelinka for trying to be a “competent GM” only after Anthony Davis and LeBron James left the Lakers. The IG user posted:
“Anthony Davis practically begged Rob Pelinka to get him a center for YEARS… Rob Pelinka did not budge. AD got backdoored. Bron lowkey got backdoored… and NOW he wants to be a competent GM now that the duo that won a championship is gone… You can’t make this s–t up, lol.”
In a surprising turn of events, however, former Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma defended Pelinka by taking a shot at the Lakers’ former superstar duo, commenting:
“You can’t get a center when two people making 600ms lol.”
Needless to say, Kuzma’s defense of Pelinka comes as a shock, especially given that he was packaged to the Washington Wizards by Pelinka in exchange for Russell Westbrook. However, Kuzma’s comment also drew some flak from Anthony Davis, who responded:
“Stop it 0 lol.”
While it could be argued that the exchange between Kyle Kuzma and Anthony Davis is just playful banter, there is some reason to believe that there is more to it.
The core of the Los Angeles Lakers’ title-winning squad in 2020 mainly comprised the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, players like Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard, and JaVale McGee played a vital role in the team’s functioning.
Following the franchise’s championship success, there were significant changes to the roster, featuring the departure of key figures such as Howard and McGee. This forced Anthony Davis to take on a larger role as the team’s primary big man, much to his dissatisfaction.
At this time, Davis was already among the biggest earners on the Lakers’ roster. However, once he signed his three-year, $186 million extension (nearly $62 million annually) in August 2023, one of the biggest contracts at the time, it limited the Lakers’ ability to acquire another starter-quality big man.
In this regard, Kyle Kuzma’s comment, though an exaggeration of salaries, seems to hit home. But defending Rob Pelinka’s treatment of Davis and LeBron James may not have been appropriate either.
While Pelinka has gained a reputation for pulling off some incredible moves as the Lakers’ GM, he is also viewed as a “snake” by many. Given that the general perception of Pelinka isn’t popular within NBA circles, it is safe to say that he is a largely polarizing figure.
In this regard, Anthony Davis’ response seems largely justified. Given how dominant the Lakers were when the superstar was paired with a capable big man, L.A. had found its formula for success. Although Davis’ health may have ultimately factored into his departure, one can’t help but wonder what the team would have been like if the front office had fulfilled his demands.
