The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired star guard Luka Dončić in a surprising commerce that sees Anthony Davis heading to the Dallas Mavericks, based on reviews confirmed by CBS Information Los Angeles.
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In a transfer first reported by Shams Charania from ESPN, the deal additionally includes the Utah Jazz, who will obtain Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Lakers’ first-round decide in 2023, a second-round decide within the 2025 NBA Draft by way of the Clippers and a 2025 second-round decide from the Mavericks. The Clippers decide comes from a four-team commerce in 2023.
Los Angeles, at the moment 28-19 and fifth within the Western Convention, may also obtain Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber, whereas Max Christie and a 2029 first-round decide might be going to Dallas, 26-23 to this point this season and eighth within the division.
The commerce is already being known as one of many greatest within the historical past of the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation. It comes simply days earlier than the Feb. 6 Commerce Deadline, which usually sees a flurry of peculiar offers, however not often any — if ever — of this magnitude.
“The Mavericks approached the Lakers just lately and supplied Luka Doncic, sources inform ESPN,” stated one other submit on X from Charania. “Lakers brass met and believed the 25-year-old Doncic has the power to be the face of their franchise for the following decade whereas giving Anthony Davis a win-now transfer in Dallas.”
Davis, lauded for his defensive prowess, joined the Lakers in 2019 as a part of one other large commerce that noticed Los Angeles ship three first-round picks and three younger gamers to the New Orleans Pelicans. Since then he is helped the Purple and Gold safe one NBA Championship in 2020 and the NBA Cup in 2023. He was named to 4 All-Star Video games and one All-NBA First Staff berth whereas with the Lakers.
At the moment he is averaging 25.7 factors, 11.9 rebounds and a pair of.1 blocks per recreation, based on Basketball Reference.
His time with the Lakers has been considerably marred by accidents, particularly in latest seasons. Between the 2020-21 season and the 2022-23 season, Davis performed in simply 52% of the Lakers’ 236 video games as a consequence of a slew of accidents that embody an MCL sprain and numerous different decrease physique accidents.
Following the commerce, Mavericks’ Common Supervisor Nico Harrison informed ESPN that protection wins championships.
“I consider that getting an All-Defensive middle and an All-NBA participant with a defensive mindset provides us a greater likelihood. We’re constructed to win now and sooner or later,” Harrison stated.
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Dončić, a 25-year-old who hails from Slovenia, has been the face of the Mavericks since he was drafted in 2018 following three skilled seasons within the EuroLeague. He is a five-time All-Star, a five-time member of the All-NBA First Staff, the 2019 Rookie of the Yr and he was 2024’s scoring champion. He was instrumental in Dallas’ look in final season’s NBA Finals, a loss to the Boston Celtics in 5 video games.
This season he is averaging 28.1 factors, 8.3 rebounds and seven.8 assists per recreation, per Basketball Reference.
In accordance with Spotrac, Dončić has two years remaining on the $207 million deal he signed with Dallas in 2021. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reviews that following the commerce he’s now not eligible for a brilliant max contract, which might have netted him $345 million over 5 years.
Whereas talking on SportsCenter, Charania stated that LeBron James had “no concept this was coming” and that Dončić was “nonetheless surprised.”
In 2018, Dončić informed reporters at a Mavericks Media Day that James was his favourite participant to look at as he grew up.
“He is like my idol,” Dončić stated on the time.
The Mavericks and Lakers will face off twice extra this season, the primary of which occurs in Los Angeles on Feb. 25.
The transfer comes on the anniversary of the commerce that introduced Pau Gasol to the Lakers on Feb. 1, 2008, what many followers view because the instrumental piece to the staff’s back-to-back NBA Championships in 2009 and 2010.