Anthony Davis understands upset Mavs fans, eyes reassurance - ESPN

DALLAS — For the first time in his career, Anthony Davis' arrival to a franchise hasn't resulted in celebrations in the city.

In Dallas, the deal that brought the 10-time All-Star to the Mavericks has resulted in heartbreak and anger. Days later, the fan base remains in shocked disbelief that 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic got blindsided by the blockbuster deal only months after he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.

«I understand it,» Davis said Friday regarding the fans' outrage. «Obviously it's a business, and I get who Luka was to this franchise, to the city. I'm never going to downplay that — just how I know what I meant to the city of L.A. So I'm not surprised by the fans' reaction and the city's reaction, but it's my job to come in and play basketball and do what I'm supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why [GM] Nico [Harrison] brought me here.»

A protest is planned outside the American Airlines Center before Davis makes his Mavericks debut in Saturday afternoon's home game against the Houston Rockets. Billboards criticizing Harrison and the team's new ownership group are planned around the arena after a GoFundMe account raised more than $40,000.

«I don't know how tomorrow's going to be as far as the reaction, but I can't control that,» Davis said. «What I can control, it's going and just winning basketball games and helping the team do whatever I can. But at the end of the day, I'm going to give the city life back.»

Harrison, who has accepted sole responsibility for the decision to trade Doncic, did not participate in the Friday news conference to introduce Davis along with Max Christie and forward Caleb Martin, who was acquired in a separate trade.

The general manager cited a desire to