The most shocking trade in NBA history, conversations with sources across the NBA suggest, was the product of a complicated set of circumstances that largely came down to this: Luka Doncic did not plan on staying with the Dallas Mavericks after his current deal came to an end in 2026, and his team should get what they could for him.
On Saturday, the news broke that a three-team trade between the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz had done what felt utterly unthinkable. Luka Doncic will be a Laker. Anthony Davis will be a Maverick.
The initial reaction when ESPN broke the story was, in effect, what the actual hell, Dallas?
But those across the NBA painted a picture that included several important factors that led to this moment.
First, there’s the notion that Doncic had provided the Dallas Mavericks the runway to move on from him in part because it was a way to, as much as one can, graciously exit Dallas by allowing them to get something in return for him. Sources say that was the case, and that Doncic was following a similar, if much, much higher-profile (albeit much, much quieter), path as De’Aaron Fox earlier this week.
In that context, as frustrated as Mavs fans were as they processed losing their 25-year-old generational talent, getting Anthony Davis in return for Doncic is an infuriating-but-still-solid consolation prize.
For the Lakers, who clearly come out ahead in this deal, the benefits are obvious. They acquire that young generational talent, a star they can try to pair with LeBron James for however long he’s in the NBA — a year, two, three, maybe more. But L.A. now also has its face of the franchise and superstar for the next decade, a cornerstone long after LeBron retires.
For the Lakers it had become obvious they were unlikely to truly compete for a championship with the roster it had. LeBron himself admitted this recently, saying, “‘That’s the way our team is constructed.”
Not anymore.
For Doncic, L.A. offers the chance to play with his childhood idol. It’s also a landing spot that could allow his talent to get the accolades he must crave. While the Mavs made the Finals last year, Luka has never actually, truly contended for a Most Valuable Player Award.
Though he’s been a First-Team All NBA player every year since 2020, his MVP voting finishes have not been on the level of someone of his ability. Since that year, he’s finished fourth, sixth, fifth, eighth and third in the MVP race.
There’s also many moving parts here, and the Dallas Mavericks general manager released the statement Saturday night, painting this as a Dallas decision, not a Luka decision.
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Harrison told ESPN. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
It’s also true — and this led to LeBron James lashing out at CBS Sports on Saturday night — that there had been talk in the past about LeBron growing frustrated with AD. The clip that angered LeBron in no way suggested he had anything to do with AD’s departure this weekend. The full context referenced previous reporting from last year about rumors within the Lakers organization that LeBron at the time was frustrated with Davis.
That said, it would be surprising that the Los Angeles Lakers would trade Anthony Davis without running it by LeBron James — their star, the GOAT, the guy who got his son drafted and his podcast partner hired as the head coach.
Questions remain. How did Rich Paul, the founder and CEO of Klutch sports who represents LeBron and AD, navigate this situation? Could the Mavs have had issues with Doncic that fueled his desire to leave, or made them more willing trade partners than one might think?
And, of course, what happens now for these Lakers and Mavs teams, having utterly reshuffled halfway through this season?
This much is certain: The most stunning trade in NBA history will likely also be one of its most impactful, even if it takes months, or years, to see how exactly that plays out.
