Anthony Davis has made sacrifices that few superstars are willing to undertake. But how did the Lakers show their gratitude?

On Saturday, they traded him to Dallas in a three-team deal to acquire superstar Luka Dončić.

It appears they didn’t even notify him beforehand.

This is part of the business, of course. Any warning to those involved could have jeopardized the trade, impacting the Lakers and the Mavericks’ future game plans.

Still, it’s reasonable to question if Davis deserved more recognition for the unique role he played over five and a half seasons in Los Angeles.

Davis is often overlooked in the MLB, largely because he played in LeBron James’ shadow for a significant portion of his prime. He frequently downplayed his own achievements, allowing James to take the spotlight.

Even this season, while Davis posted impressive averages of 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds, James, turning 40, was still front and center in the media narratives and was named an All-Star starter, although Davis later received a reserve spot.

Davis has taken his situation in stride, suppressing his ego, which many superstars would find challenging.

Consider Kyrie Irving. After winning a championship alongside James, he sought a trade to escape the shadows.

James’ presence is formidable; when he enters a room, it often falls silent, and he commands respect. He is involved in the age-old debate about the greatest player ever with Michael Jordan.

Playing alongside James brought Davis his first championship in 2020, but it also meant he was often perceived as merely a sidekick.

In recent years, James has asserted that Davis is the Lakers’ best player. Nonetheless, public perception has yet to shift completely, and the limelight remains on James.

Throughout it all, Davis has shown commitment by participating in 173 of the last 187 games, dispelling the ‘street clothes’ label given to him by Charles Barkley for past injuries. He has excelled defensively, focusing on contributions that might not yield personal accolades.

Leading up to his trade, he exhibited dominant performances, including one with 42 points and 23 rebounds against Charlotte.

His loyalty to James and the Lakers has indeed been unyielding, but following the news of his trade, Kevin Durant articulated a potent observation about loyalty expectations in the NBA:

“Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program, but the organizations don’t get held to that same standard.”

When players demand a trade, they often get criticized for lacking loyalty. In contrast, organizations can disrupt a player’s life without facing similar scrutiny.

Although Davis is making $43.2 million and didn’t emerge from a situation without benefits, the Lakers also have their reasons in pursuing Dončić to secure a future contender.

Regardless, Anthony Davis earned more acknowledgment for his contributions. His efforts and sacrifices brought the Lakers back from a six-year playoff absence and captured their first championship in a decade.

While Davis indeed needed James, the roles he adopted were pivotal for the team’s current standing.