Anthony Davis eyeing return against Lakers after Nico Harrison firing

Anthony Davis was at his best when he was the Robin to LeBron James' Batman, as the pair led the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020. The problem is Nico Harrison thought otherwise, as the since-fired Dallas Mavericks general manager traded homegrown superstar Luka Dončić for Davis in an attempt to fortify the defense.

Davis went down with an abductor strain in his Mavericks debut and would miss another 18 games, with Dallas eventually missing the playoffs and lucking into the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg in the NBA Draft lottery. It's been largely the same story this season, as Davis has been sidelined 14 games with a calf strain while Dallas sits second to last in the West.

It's approaching the time for Davis to return, and with Harrison's vision getting fuzzier by the day, the 10-time All-Star is excited for the opportunity to prove he was worth the king's ransom Dallas paid for him against the team that let him go.

Despite the optics and lack of on-court success, Davis admitted he was shocked Harrison's firing came earlier this month.

“It was surprising more than anything," Davis told reporters Wedneday. "Nico’s my guy. He played a huge part in getting me here and wanting me to fulfill his vision that he saw. It was definitely tough. Me and him had a conversation. Me and [Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont] had a conversation. It’s the business of basketball.”

Harrison is gone now, but Davis can help vindicate his moves with a big game against the Lakers on Friday, should he be available to return. And no, despite the internet chatter, Davis is not headed to the flailing Los Angeles Clippers.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Anthony Davis injury: Mavericks star hopes to return against Lakers