Luka Doncic has been traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, astonishing the NBA community. Initially perceived as a joke, the news was confirmed by insider Shams Charania. LeBron James was surprised by the trade news during a family dinner, while other players expressed disbelief on social media. Kevin Durant labeled it the biggest trade he’s witnessed, raising questions about the Mavericks’ motives for parting with Doncic at this time.
Initially, many thought it was nothing more than a prank. ‘Can I really not tell what’s real anymore? Is Luka actually heading to the Lakers or not?’ tweeted CJ McCollum from the New Orleans Pelicans, after learning about the groundbreaking trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. ‘Yes, it’s true. It’s 1000% true’, confirmed Shams Charania(new window), the NBA insider for ESPN who broke the news.
Luka Doncic, the talented point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, has officially been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, joining forces with LeBron James(new window), in exchange for All-Star center Anthony Davis, who will be making his way to the Mavericks.
Surprisingly, it seemed that no one—except for a select few insiders and negotiators—had any idea this deal was in the works. ‘This deal came together in the shadows…’, Shams Charania remarked. ‘Anthony Davis was completely unaware of what was coming. I’ve been informed that Luka Doncic is still processing this trade.’ This sentiment was echoed by journalist Marc Stein(new window), who noted that the 25-year-old Slovenian did not initiate the request to leave.
LeBron James Caught Off Guard
The events leading up to this trade unfolded rapidly, with the Mavericks taking the lead. They reached out to the Lakers, proposing their star Luka Doncic, a consistent MVP contender, with the intention of acquiring Anthony Davis, who had been a dominant force during the Lakers’ championship run in 2020. According to Shams Charania, the Lakers believed that ‘Don’ had ‘the potential to be the face of their franchise for the next decade, while offering Anthony Davis a mutually beneficial trade to Dallas.’
The announcement of this trade sent shockwaves throughout the NBA community. Even LeBron James, who is typically in the loop, was caught off-guard. The future teammate of Luka Doncic and past colleague of Anthony Davis found out about the trade while enjoying dinner with his family in New York, shortly after the Lakers secured a convincing win against the Knicks (128-112). ‘James was taken aback by the news and is still trying to come to terms with it; he had no clue negotiations were happening’, reported ESPN journalist Dave McMenamin(new window), who closely follows LeBron’s career.
Social media was abuzz with reactions from players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, De’Aaron Fox, and Trae Young, all expressing their bewilderment. ‘This has to be an April Fool’s joke, right?’ quipped Jalen Brunson, who was drafted alongside Doncic in 2018. Even Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was taken by surprise.
The biggest trade I’ve ever witnessed
The biggest trade I’ve ever witnessed
Kevin Durant, forward for the Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant found out about the trade during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. While sitting on the bench, the Phoenix Suns star couldn’t hide his astonishment. ‘Fans were glued to their phones during the fourth quarter, saying: ‘Luka has been traded’, Durant recounted in a post-game interview with journalist Duane Rankin(new window). ‘I thought they were pulling my leg until I saw Shams’ tweet. When Shams tweets, you know it’s legit. I can’t believe it, it’s absolutely wild. I’m eager to see how the next few days unfold.’
‘Wow! I never imagined Luka would be traded at such a young age. The NBA’s mid-season is truly unpredictable. If he can be traded, anyone is fair game’, Durant added. ‘This could very well be the biggest trade I’ve seen in my time following this sport.’
With this monumental event already being dubbed ‘the trade of the century’, one pressing question remains: why did the Dallas Mavericks decide to part with Luka Doncic at this juncture? ‘A current All-Star texted me asking: ‘Do you have any idea how much the Mavericks must resent Luka?’, speculated ESPN journalist Brian Windhorst. ‘Luka’s departure from Dallas surely has a deeper narrative behind it’, suggested Tristan Thompson, center for the Cleveland Cavaliers. ‘This kind of thing doesn’t just happen randomly on a Saturday night.’