The basketball world was stunned late Saturday night by the news of a blockbuster trade involving star players Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis.
As part of the three-team trade, Doncic was sent from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Davis. The Lakers also received forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in the deal, while the Mavericks acquired guard Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick. The Utah Jazz were the third team involved in the trade, receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers along with a pair of draft picks.
The central figure in the trade is Doncic, who, at 25 years old, has become one of the NBA’s top stars. In 2024, Doncic led the NBA in scoring while guiding the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. He also finished third in voting for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, behind winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Davis, 31, is currently in his 12th season in the league. In 42 games with the Lakers this season, he has averaged 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 52 percent from the field. He spent the past five seasons with the Lakers, where he teamed with LeBron James to lead Los Angeles to the NBA championship in 2020. Doncic, meanwhile, has been averaging 28 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists this season for Dallas.
Both players were sidelined due to injuries at the time of the trade. Doncic has been out since Christmas Day with a calf injury, while Davis has missed the Lakers’ last three games with an abdominal strain.