It’s honest to say that the Dallas Mavericks’ gorgeous choice to commerce Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a first-round choose might need caught not simply followers and media members off-guard, however doubtlessly everybody within the NBA… together with the gamers concerned within the deal themselves.
This commerce was so out of nowhere that the majority assumed Shams Charania of ESPN was hacked when breaking it on his Twitter account till confirmations began to come back in from different media retailers. And based on Shams in a subsequent TV look, NBA followers aren’t the one ones struggling to course of possibly the most important scoop of his profession:
“This deal materialized within the shadows … LeBron James had no thought this was coming. Anthony Davis had no thought this was coming. I’m advised Luka Doncic remains to be surprised about this commerce.”@ShamsCharania on the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic commerce between the Lakers and Mavericks pic.twitter.com/Hp4bL3UX2M
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2025
Longtime James chronicler Dave McMenamin (additionally of ESPN) supplied extra particulars from New York about simply how shocked James and Davis have been:
LeBron James discovered of the Davis-Doncic commerce after the Knicks sport when it broke whereas he was out to dinner together with his household, sources near James advised ESPN. James was stunned by the information, is processing it and had no thought it was within the works, sources stated.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 2, 2025
.@mcten stated Anthony Davis was texting gamers after the Lakers win over the Knicks, unaware of the looming commerce
“After the sport, Anthony Davis is sending congratulatory textual content messages in regards to the Lakers effort getting the win with out him.”
— Jacob Impolite (@JacobRude) February 2, 2025
Experiences out of Dallas urged Doncic was caught without warning as properly:
The Mavericks and Luka Doncic, till tonight, have been heading towards a five-year contract extension in July price a report $345 million.
Dallas GM Nico Harrison made the decision to abruptly change the path of the franchise with one of the gorgeous trades in league historical past. https://t.co/mQcNlH6zSR
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 2, 2025
It instantly led to hypothesis from NBA figures about if the transfer is a precursor to a James commerce as properly, based on Brian Windhorst:
Windhorst:
That’s the dialogue that’s taking place now all through the league.
My telephone is now transferring previous Luka into what occurs with LeBron
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) February 2, 2025
LeBron himself didn’t straight handle these studies, however he did take to Twitter to blast a separate rumor that he had something to do with the Davis commerce:
James isn’t the one one attempting to determine methods to react, although. The deal caught seemingly your complete league unaware, with All-Stars and executives alike anonymously texting reporters to specific their shock and dismay:
Dallas had contacted a number of groups this week, trying to reroute further wage for a possible three-team deal, sources stated.
A bunch of groups knew inklings in regards to the Mavericks being shut on a commerce.
No person knew it was buying and selling Luka Doncic.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 2, 2025
As phrase of the blockbuster rippled all through the league, gamers came upon (and expressed their shock) on social media and in postgame interviews…
“Insane. It is loopy, loopy.”
Kevin Durant on mega Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis commerce.
“Gamers are held to a special commonplace of loyalty and dedication to a program however the organizations do not get held to that very same commonplace from the skin.”
On groups following swimsuit earlier than Feb.… pic.twitter.com/DekP4eRN6N
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 2, 2025
“It is loopy man. I actually do not know what to say about it. Luka being a man that everyone has claimed is untouchable and untradeable. The NBA exhibits you once more.”
Devin Booker on colossal Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis commerce.
“It is a enterprise. They’re at all times having a dialog… pic.twitter.com/p2DdVR7u3N
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 2, 2025
…and even on the bench, throughout a completely different NBA sport, the place Matisse Thybulle and his Path Blazers teammates encapsulated the total vary of all of our reactions to seeing the preliminary report when knowledgeable on the bench:
Booker additionally had his response seemingly captured on the bench:
“Anyone advised us ‘Luka’ by the bench. And I stated Luka Garza? Who acquired traded? And that’s no shade to Luka Garza. However yeah, loopy.” — Devin Booker on how he came upon in regards to the Luka commerce. pic.twitter.com/ciQ56POwG0
— Tedd Buddwell (@TedBuddy8) February 2, 2025
This legitimately could go down as one of the surprising transactions within the historical past {of professional} sports activities… and as we are able to see from the vary of reactions on-line and across the NBA tonight, this is without doubt one of the uncommon instances the place it was fully unanticipated by even the individuals themselves.
We’ll see if another transfer can prime it earlier than Thursday’s NBA commerce deadline.
For extra on this commerce, take a look at our Mavericks response from Mavs Moneyball, and the Lakers perspective at Silver Display and Roll.