The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks shocked the sports world Saturday night with a reported trade involving superstar point guard Luka Dončić and All-NBA big man Anthony Davis.
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
This stunning, unprecedented move took even the most experienced members of the NBA world by surprise.
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I've been covering the NBA for 37 years. Almost nothing that happens – deals, free agent signings, coach hirings/firings – rises to the level of, as the great Ben Bradlee used to call them, "Holy S--t" stories. You just get used to the unexpected.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 2, 2025
This is a "Holy S--t" trade.
The report was so unbelievable in fact, that many NBA players immediately assumed the post on ESPN reporter Shams Charania's X account was some kind of prank, or a nefarious act by a hacker.
Did somebody steal shams phone??
— 13am Adebayo (@Bam1of1) February 2, 2025
Shams got hacked?
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) February 2, 2025
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Nah shams gotta be hacked 💀
— Alex Caruso (@ACFresh21) February 2, 2025
Once the report seemingly became confirmed. many NBA stars took to social media to voice their absolute disbelief that such a transaction could ever occur, particularly out of nowhere.
😳
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) February 2, 2025
WOWWWWW NO F WAY
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 2, 2025
🤯
— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) February 2, 2025
April fools right?
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) February 2, 2025
I’m stunned
— Kevin Huerter (@KevinHuerter) February 2, 2025
Luka getting traded from Dallas has to have a deeper story behind it. This just doesn’t happen on a random Saturday night.
— Tristan Thompson (@RealTristan13) February 2, 2025
Gotta pack them bags just in case now a days . If the Don got traded only lord knows
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 2, 2025
The shock-and-awe wasn't reserved only for NBA players, as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons also weighed in on the astonishing report.
I’m sick rn…. https://t.co/IGiojb3OXT
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 2, 2025
Yoo wtf going on in Dallas?
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) February 2, 2025
This move certainly shakes things up in the Western Conference, and potentially will impact the Warriors and Kings for the next decade-plus as the Lakers add a generational talent who is just 25 years old in Dončić, while Davis fortifies an already stout Mavericks team that made the NBA Finals less than one year ago.