Davis Has Finally Become a Laker

LOS ANGELES: With an easy smile and sounding relieved, Anthony Davis officially raised his Los Angeles Lakers jersey as dozens of cameras drifted away.
His introduction to the practice center of the National Basketball Association in El Segundo, California, on Saturday night marked the end of a long-term procession and the beginning of a promising partnership with LeBron James.
However, the opportunity to take photos, in which more than 100 reporters saw Davis wear his new No. 3 shirt, was another reminder that nothing about his trip to Los Angeles has been easy.
To get here, the Lakers tried and failed to design an exchange with the New Orleans pelicans before the February trade deadline.
The consequences of that brazen public effort led the Pelicans to dismiss general manager Dell Demps, and left the Lakers with a fractured wardrobe, which led to his sixth consecutive failure in the playoffs and established the departures of the president of operations of Basketball Magic Johnson and Trainer Luke Walton.
When the talks rekindled this summer, the Lakers had to separate themselves from three valuable young prospects, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, as well as three first-round picks in a blockbuster exchange.
Davis, meanwhile, endured the most challenging stretch of his career. His agent, Rich Paul, received a fine of US $ 50,000 (S $ 67,875) for filing a public exchange request.
I missed the play-offs for the fifth time in seven seasons and was repeatedly booed by Pelicans fans.
More bumps were expected once the deal was consummated, as he had to give up $ 4 million in commercial tricks.
Then, in a final setback, he had to sacrifice his preferred shirt number: number 23, which he has worn during his NBA career and at the University of Kentucky.
James, who wore No. 23 for the Lakers last year, had planned to switch to No. 6 so he could give Davis a welcome present.
However, the gesture did not meet an NBA deadline regarding switched numbers and would have cost Nike millions of dollars due to unsold inventory.
Despite the messiness, I have expressed no regrets. "The most difficult part for me was the unknown," Davis said. "When it was announced I'd been traded, I would not say it was a sigh of relief.”
"It was tough to leave the city I was playing for seven years I just wanted to take control of my career As I started getting older and more experienced, I did not want to do that”.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are fully convinced their talent and potential will make everyone forget the many problems along the way.
Of the six-time All-Star, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said: "There is no more complete basketball player, there is nothing I cannot do, I can shoot, make plays, defend one to five, protect the rim, handle the ball. His dedication to his craft is unparalleled. "
When James greeted him after the unveiling, the duo was swarmed by more than two dozen cameras - an early indication of his ability to dominate headlines together.
Davis looked and sounded especially eager to play with him and, although he has only advanced in the playoffs once, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers last year, he's already dreaming big.
The 26-year-old said: "To get a full season to see the things he does: pass, shoot, speak well on the defensive, great leader, I'm excited to get a lot out of this season, I'll put our In a series of seven games, I feel we will be victorious. "
After spending so much energy and so many resources to acquire it, the Lakers plan to keep Davis at the center of their planning.
Revealing that the team would accommodate his desire to play in power forward and not as a center as he did in New Orleans, Pelinka said: "We have to do what's best for your body. It's what's best for your body, our team or the franchise. "

By: Preeti Narula
Content: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/basketball/davis-is-finally-a-laker