In one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, the Dallas Mavericks have reportedly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Late Friday night, Shams Charania reported that Dallas will send their franchise centerpiece to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 Lakers first-round pick. The Lakers will also receive Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz will serve as a third team, adding Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 Clippers send-round pick, and a 2025 Mavericks second-round pick.
Luka Doncic to the Lakers
As the Feb. 6 trade deadline looms, there have been zero indications that Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks would pursue a franchise-altering trade. However, the Mavs and Lakers have now agreed to exchange two of the biggest names in the game out of the blue, stunning NBA fans and executives in the process.
If you don’t think this news is real, you’re not alone. The immediate shock online led several prominent sources to confirm the news (some alongside their own disbelief). One of those sources is ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who also went on to clarify that this trade comes with significant financial implications for the Mavericks. Doncic was eligible for a historic five-year, $345 million contract his summer.
Charania has gone on to report that the Mavericks recently approached Los Angeles about the trade idea. To no surprise, the Lakers saw this as an opportunity to add their next face of the franchise and jumped. While it will come at the expense of elite talent in Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic is still just 25 years old (Davis is 31) and has become one of the single-most dynamic offensive players in the NBA over his seven years in the league.
I’m honestly at a loss for words right now. I’m still waiting for Shams to tweet that he was hacked. Literally, what is going on!?