When Anthony Davis got traded to the Mavs at the deadline, not only was it shocking for him but for his entire family. Upon his return to LA last month, the superstar forward hinted at the difficult transition, “I moved on. I got a wife and kids to worry about, you know what I’m saying? And I’m figuring out how I’m going to get them to Dallas and get adjusted to that.” Well, quite some time has passed since then, and it looks like AD and his family have finally settled in.

During an interview with Andscape, Davis revealed their current state, “I’m great. I don’t feel it, but a lot of people have been coming to me and telling me they haven’t seen me smile like this in a long time. Family is happy. Everybody is happy. It’s the nature of the business.” Things have gradually started going back to normal as Davis has finally recovered from his adductor injury and returned to the lineup.

However, the first couple of days after AD got traded were tough for his wife Marlen and their three children, “Obviously, the first maybe 48 hours, it was just a shock because I wasn’t expecting it. Nobody was expecting it, so they say. But I know from my side, my team and my family and everybody who works with me, I wasn’t expecting it.”

Just like majority of the hoop community, Davis initially thought the news was fake, “Even when I was getting some of the calls [about the trade], I thought guys were playing. But it ended up being true and that first initial [emotion] was more a shock just seeing the position [we were in]; we’re in fifth in the West [Conference], we were rolling…” Yes, the Lakers were having a solid season before AD got traded and were looking like legitimate contenders.

He locked in a massive three-year, $186 million extension just two years ago—proof that he was supposed to be the future of the franchise. AD never thought a trade could happen without him seeing it coming. So, when the move blindsided him, it wasn’t just a shock—it rocked his entire world.

And as if the trade wasn’t enough, his first moments in the Mavs locker room didn’t exactly help ease the sting.

Anthony Davis reveals Mavs locker room journey from awkward to “super-tight bond”

Upon his arrival in Dallas, Davis was unsure how to handle his first meeting with his new teammates, obviously understanding who he was there to replace, “I know what Luka meant to the organization, to the team. So, it’s like, what do I say to these guys coming in as a new leader and trying to lead these guys to do something special?” Well, Doncic was the face of the franchise for over six years and AD couldn’t just come in and take his spot as their leader.

Meanwhile, the Mavs were equally awkward while handling the situation, as Davis revealed, “For them it’s like, ‘s—, he just went through probably the biggest trade in [expletive] sports history. What do we say to him?’” Obviously, it didn’t help that AD was not playing at the time, which made building team chemistry even more difficult. So, the forward let nature run its course—and it paid off, “I just tried to feel everybody out and just kind of let it happen organically. And now we got a super-tight bond, man with all the guys. So, I’m happy, man. Happy I get to play.”

Nearly two months into the trade, AD and his family are in a much better place and the former champion is looking forward to the rest of the season, “We are half a game behind Phoenix. But we got a chance. [Eight] games left. We are trying to try to make a push to get into these playoffs and just take it from there.”

Yes, the Mavs are ranked tenth in the West and can still reach the postseason by qualifying through the Play-in tournament. So, Davis’ focus is on staying healthy and helping his team make it to the next stage. Do you think he can do it?