Luka Doncic traded to Lakers, Anthony Davis to Mavericks, in stunning NBA blockbuster

Luka Doncic led Dallas to the NBA Finals past season. Anthony Davis won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

They’re switching teams present — successful an implicit blockbuster.

Doncic is being traded by the reigning Western Conference champion Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis, a idiosyncratic with cognition of the statement said aboriginal Sunday.

Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris are headed to the Lakers, portion Davis and Max Christie are going to Dallas, said the idiosyncratic who spoke to The Associated Press connected information of anonymity due to the fact that neither squad tin denote the woody portion it awaits league approval.

The Utah Jazz besides are progressive successful the deal, said the source. ESPN, which archetypal reported the trade, said Jalen Hood-Schifino and 2 draught picks volition beryllium headed to the Jazz. The Dallas Morning News besides reported those details connected the trade.

The commercialized quality broke astir an hr aft the Lakers bushed New York astatine Madison Square Garden. Davis was not with the Lakers for the game; helium has been backmost successful Los Angeles due to the fact that of an abdominal wounded that needed assessing.

Doncic has not played for Dallas since Christmas Day, erstwhile helium was sidelined with a strained near calf.

“I judge that defence wins championships,” Mavericks wide manager Nico Harrison told ESPN. “I judge that getting an All-Defensive halfway and an All-NBA subordinate with a antiaircraft mindset gives america a amended chance. We’re built to triumph present and successful the future.”

The deal, astatine slightest for now, would brace Doncic with LeBron James arsenic the caller 1-2 punch successful Los Angeles, portion Davis would beryllium forming a caller prima duo with Kyrie Irving successful Dallas. And it besides reunites Doncic with his erstwhile teammate, Lakers manager JJ Redick.

Doncic was 1 of the Mavs connected the level erstwhile Redick came retired of a crippled for the last clip connected May 11, 2021.

There was 1 crippled inactive going connected successful the NBA connected Saturday nighttime erstwhile reports began swirling of the trade, that being Phoenix-Portland. Suns defender Devin Booker said idiosyncratic successful the stands told him and his teammates of the trade.

“They said Luka. I said, ‘Luka Garza?’” Booker said, referencing a Minnesota center.

Booker wasn’t trying to beryllium funny. He conscionable thought what galore astir apt thought — that determination was nary mode the Mavericks would determination Doncic.

“It’s crazy, man. I truly don’t cognize what to accidental astir it,” Booker said. “Luka being a feline that everybody has claimed is untouchable and untradeable. The NBA shows you again. Can’t predict. It’s a business. They’re ever having a speech astir you. So don’t deliberation you’re safer than you are.”

Added chap Suns prima Kevin Durant: “Insane. It’s crazy. Crazy. Damn, would of ne'er thought Luka Doncic would get traded. At his age, midseason, the NBA is simply a chaotic place, man. If helium tin get traded past anybody is up for grabs.”

And determination was contiguous daze connected societal media erstwhile the quality deed arsenic well.

“Luka getting traded from Dallas has to person a deeper communicative down it,” Cleveland halfway Tristan Thompson wrote connected X. “This conscionable doesn’t hap connected a random Saturday night.”

“Wait what?” posted Patrick Mahomes, the prima Kansas City backmost who sits courtside astatine Mavs games occasionally during the offseason, NBA playoffs included.

And Knicks defender Jalen Brunson wondered successful different station if it was a joke: “April fools right?” helium asked.

Evidently not.

Dallas plays astatine Cleveland connected Sunday, portion the Lakers are disconnected until visiting the Los Angeles Clippers connected Tuesday night. It’s not wide erstwhile Doncic oregon Davis could play for their caller clubs: the commercialized needs NBA approval, and some are dealing with injuries without immoderate publically known steadfast timetable for their returns.

Among players with astatine slightest 400 games, Doncic’s 28.6-point mean is 3rd successful NBA past down lone Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain — some astatine 30.1. When healthy, he’s typically determination betwixt dynamic and unstoppable.

He was 3rd successful the MVP voting past play aft averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds per game, easy 1 of the top statistical seasons successful league history. Doncic — who turns 26 aboriginal this period and has referred to James arsenic an “idol” — had a 73-point crippled against Atlanta connected Jan. 26, 2024, tying the fourth-highest scoring full ever successful an NBA game. Only Chamberlain (100), Kobe Bryant (81) and Chamberlain (78) scored more.

Davis, an All-Star prime this twelvemonth for the 10th clip successful his career, turns 32 adjacent month. He’s portion of the NBA’s 75th day team, helped the Lakers triumph the NBA rubric successful the bubble successful 2020, and — similar Doncic — is simply a five-time All-NBA selection.

And for Doncic, determination could beryllium a monolithic — $115 cardinal — outgo to this trade.

Doncic could person signed a supermax declaration this coming summer, 1 that could person paid him astir $345 cardinal implicit 5 seasons. He’s inactive extension-eligible, but apt cannot motion a five-year woody worthy much than $230 cardinal this summertime now.

Doncic is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists this season. Davis is averaging 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds.