The Most Shocking NBA Trade of all time

Matthew Willar

News Editor

When NBA fans woke up on the morning of Feb. 2 to find Luka Doncic pictured in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, fans thought Shams Charania had his phone hacked. A trade that no one expected or even thought of, including Charania himself, had players and fans left in utter shock.

Doncic, a five-time All-NBA player who recently led his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, to the NBA Finals, was traded in a multi-team trade for Anthony Davis. The trade made history, as the first two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other midseason.

The Lakers currently sit at 32-20, putting them in 5th place in the Western Conference. Despite speculation that they might make a trade at the trade deadline, rumors surrounding the team sounded that they were targeting a big man to allow Davis to play his natural position of power forward. Doncic has played point guard his entire NBA career and stands at 6 foot 6 inches.

The Mavericks, who have been playing without Doncic since Dec. 25 due to a calf strain, are coming off an NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics. Without Doncic, they fell to 30-26, putting them in 8th place in the Western Conference. A key to the Maverick’s success last season was their ability to play Kyrie Irving, their now arguably best player, off the ball. Now with Davis joining the team, Irving will be required to play point guard again, a position he hasn’t played consistently since 2023 when he played for the Brooklyn Nets.

Doncic joins a Lakers team led by 40-year-old LeBron James, who is in his 21st season in the NBA. He made his debut for the Lakers on Feb. 10, scoring 14 points in just 24 minutes.

James was not informed of trade talks before the deal was completed. Having played with Davis for nearly six years, with whom he won an NBA Championship in 2020, James heard the news of the trade when he was eating at a restaurant with his family following a Lakers win. Davis did not play in that game.

Since being traded to the Mavericks, Davis has been ruled out for four weeks and will require surgery for an adductor strain. The 10-time All-Star has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and his recent injury has made the trade even more disappointing for Mavericks fans who already were shocked to lose their young star.

The move for the Lakers has been looked at as a “long-term move,” who are expected to make Doncic the face of their franchise for the foreseeable future. The Mavericks, who made the trade as a “win now” move, hope to get Davis healthy before the playoffs to help them get over the hump they couldn’t overcome last season.