Kevin Durant called it “crazy.” Ringer founder Bill Simmons said it’s “the most shocking trade I think in the history of the NBA.” Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki could only muster an emoji:
The blockbuster deal to send NBA star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers has inspired a mix of shock, disgust and confusion, as fans and pundits try to digest a move so bizarre that many initially did not believe it to be real.
The league’s resident scoopmaster, Shams Charania, broke the news just after midnight Sunday morning. The trade was so shocking and sudden that it led to jokes and speculation — even among NBA players — that Charania’s account had been hacked.
More than an hour later, he had to emphasize that the deal was on: “It’s 1000% real,” he posted on X.
Later on Sunday, the Mavericks made it official, welcoming Anthony Davis to the team.
Doncic is among the NBA’s brightest rising stars, a 25-year-old from Slovenia who has shown the ability to dominate games offensively. Last season he led the Mavericks to the NBA finals alongside star guard Kyrie Irving.
This season, however, has been something of a let down for the team. The Mavericks sit 8th in the Western Conference, and Doncic has been out with a calf injury that has sidelined him since Christmas.
But a trade wasn’t on the lips of even the most speculative sports pundits, let alone one in which Dallas would received relatively limited compensation. Along with Davis, a 31-year-old center who has also battled injuries, the Mavericks are reportedly receiving a single first-round pick. In July, the New York Knicks gave up five first-round draft picks as part of a deal for Mikal Bridges, a talented player but not someone considered to be the kind of franchise-defining player that Doncic has become.
Texas native and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes captured how a lot of Mavericks fans are feeling.
Plenty of NBA players weighed in, mostly expressing shock. “April fools right?” posted Knicks guard Jalen Brunson on X. CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans wrote that every NBA player should keep their bags packed.
NBA punditry simlarly exploded, with emergency podcasts and YouTube videos published by the dozens. A thread about the trade on the Reddit community dedicated to the NBA had more than 16,000 comments, according to the website. On social media, the jokes were flowing.
As often happens after big trades, various reports about the circumstances of the teams and players involved began to emerge, with Lakers superstart LeBron James colorfully pushing back on one claim that he had a falling out with Davis. Dave McMenamin, an NBA reporter for ESPN, said that his sources told him James was not aware of the deal ahead of time (NBC News has not verified that reporting).
As for Dallas’ reasoning, the team’s general manager, Nico Harrison, told ESPN that “defense wins championships,” and that the addition of Davis would make the team stronger overall (Doncic has been the subject of some criticism for his defense).
That has done little to temper the general shock and disbelief that has rippled across the NBA universe — perhaps best summed up by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who is hardly ever at a loss for words:
