LeBron James and Anthony Davis met on the court after James' Lakers defeated Davis' Pelicans on Friday night in LA, but their get-together lasted only a few seconds. The NBA world no doubt would have gone into orbit had the two held a mini-summit.
James helped build the anticipation earlier in the week when he said it would be "awesome" to play with Davis, who is rumored to be a Lakers trade target. James' statement was met with cries of "Tampering!" from a handful of NBA general managers, but the league said James didn't break any rules.
After Friday's game, James "tampered" some more, with other players, as he answered a question about his Davis comments. This was the exchange:
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James: Ask me: Would I like to play with Kevin Durant? Ask me right now.
Reporter: Would you like to play with Kevin Durant?
James: Absolutely. Ask me if I'd like to play with Jimmy Butler. Say it right now.
Reporter: (Begins to ask . . .)
James (interrupting): Ask me about Kyrie Irving, Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Ask me about (Joel) Embiid, Ben Simmons. Go ahead, all of 'em, Luka Doncic, ask me right now.
Reporters: . . .
James: Come on, guys, it's not rocket science. (Laughs.) It's not rocket science. These are great players, absolutely. I would love to play with a lot of great players. That's just who I am. So people get caught up in bunches sometimes when they wish they can control what you say, and they can't control me, at all — and I play by the rules.
Davis, 25, would fulfill the Lakers' wish for a second star to pair with James. He is averaging 28.1 points (fourth-best in the NBA) and 12.6 rebounds after a 30-point, 20-board performance Friday at Staples Center.
He also shares an agency with James, Klutch Sports Group, which signed Davis in late September.
