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Anthony Davis Says He'd 'Definitely Consider' Playing for Bulls Later in Career

Adam Wells@adamwells1985X.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJuly 20, 2019

Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team introduces Anthony Davis at a news conference at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif., Saturday, July 13, 2019 (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Anthony Davis has yet to suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers, but that didn't stop him from being asked about potentially playing for his hometown team at some point in his career. 

Per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Davis left open the possibility of joining the Chicago Bulls when asked about the team at Nike’s Rise camp in the city on Friday. 

“I mean, (this is) definitely hometown,” he said. “If the opportunity ever presents itself and when that time comes, I’d definitely consider it.”

The most obvious way to approach Davis' answer is offering lip service to fans of the Bulls. It gives them hope that someday one of the NBA's best players will want to return home like LeBron James did with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-18. 

However, in an interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Davis offered this response when asked if he was thinking about being a pillar of the Lakers for years to come: "I have one year here, so I’m going make the best of this year. And when that time comes around in the summer or, you know, whenever the season’s over—hopefully, around, you know, mid-June, after we just had a parade, and I need a couple days to think—then we can talk about that."

If for some reason Davis and James don't jell together and the Lakers' season goes south, he may decide he wants out.

The Bulls have a talented young nucleus with Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. they are building around. If they take steps forward next season, maybe they suddenly become an attractive free-agent destination. 

Davis can become a free agent after the 2019-20 season by opting out of his contract. Considering how much the six-time All-Star seemed to want end up in Los Angeles and how much the Lakers gave up to acquire him from the New Orleans Pelicans, it seems unlikely this will end up being a one-year move. 

All of this is fun for Bulls fans to dream about, but the reality is more likely that it will be a long time before Davis even thinks about leaving the Lakers.