It seems so long ago, but it was just around this time when Anthony Davis sent shockwaves through the NBA and asked for a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers reportedly wanted to land Davis at the 2018-19 NBA trade deadline, but the New Orleans Pelicans opted to keep him and wait until the offseason to evaluate whether or not they would trade him.
However, New Orleans miraculously ended up with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and ended up selecting Zion Williamson with the selection. With Williamson in town, dealing Davis to his preferred destination was easier to stomach and so far, it appears both teams won the deal.
After their first matchup, Davis gave his first impressions of Williamson on the basketball court.
“It was fun. He’s a great player. He’s got a quick first step, very explosive. Second jump is unbelievable. There was some times when we tried to foul him when he got by us or had an easy layup or dunk and he made free throws,” Davis said.
“So he’s going to continue to get better and better. Obviously, this is his first year and they’re fighting for a spot but as time go on, he’ll get more experience with the game. He’ll be fine.”
Williamson was the clear choice to go No. 1 after his dominant showing in his lone season at Duke. Even at 19 years old, the rookie is already one of the more physically imposing players in the NBA and his athleticism at his size makes him nearly impossible to stop, especially when he has a full head of steam going to the basket.
Davis was able to stifle Williamson at the rim on a few occasions during the game, managing to stay in front and contesting with his arms high. However, Williamson was also able to get the best of Davis and the rest of the Lakers frontcourt as he barreled to the rim and either earned trips to the free-throw line or simply converted the layup.
The game offered some insight into a possible playoff matchup between the two teams as the Pelicans are currently still in the hunt for the eighth seed whereas the Lakers are looking like the clear favorite to finish first in the Western Conference.
A playoff series headlined by LeBron James, Davis, and Williamson would surely make for an exciting round of basketball so hopefully, this is the outcome fans get come April.
