The NBA has seen a handful of monumental trades in its 77 year history, with each generation of NBA fans worldwide being defined by one blockbuster trade that changed basketball history. These include the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabar to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975, Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns in 1992, and Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat in 2004. Yet it seems as if all of these iconic moments have topped by a mile, when in early February 2025, Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers with Anthony Davis going to the Dallas Mavericks. This trade has the argument to come as the most unexpected in NBA history, especially due to the success both players were having with their respective former teams.
At the age of 19, Luka Dončić was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks third overall in the 2018 NBA draft. When the Slovenian teenager joined the NBA, he was one of the most coveted prospects in basketball due to his accomplishments at Real Madrid, where he was the 2017–18 EuroLeague MVP and led his team to the EuroLeague title. Dončić is a versatile point guard who excels at shooting, passing, rebounding, and dribbling at his own pace. Luka is known for his step-back three-pointer, his ability to keep defenders off balance, and his decision-making. Dončić has had issues with his conditioning and weight, which have led to him often being criticized for his defensive play and inability to defend the other skilled guards of the NBA.
Regardless, Luka quickly became the face of the franchise, winning the 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year award as a European teenager putting up 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists a game, something never seen before out of a rookie, especially one from a foreign country. In his next five seasons, Luka only improved every year, earning All-NBA First Team Honors five straight seasons, all before turning 24. Dončić carried the team to strong playoff runs each year, reaching the 2022 Western Conference Finals, but coming up short to the eventual NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, losing the series 4-1.
Dončić had his very best year during his 2024 campaign, where he averaged an incredible 34 points, ten assists, and nine rebounds a game, statistics never seen before by a player, and Luka finished third in NBA MVP voting. Dončić even led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals with the help of superstar guard Kyrie Irving, but Luka and the Mavs would eventually fall to the Boston Celtics in five games. This year, the 26 year old Dončić is continuing to perform exceptionally well, and finally trying to get over the hump to win a championship, except this time as a Los Angeles Laker with the legendary LeBron James by his side to help him get it done.
Anthony Davis was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans first overall at the 2012 NBA Draft after winning the 2012 NCAA Division I National Championship as the star player of the Kentucky Wildcats. Davis plays with a hard-nosed, two-way style, using his size and length to block shots and make plays on both offense and defense while playing the power forward or center position. One of the best two-way big men in the NBA, Davis finishes great around the rim, is a great rebounding presence, and can be counted on to knock down any open jump shot. AD’s biggest downfall is how injury-prone he is, likely the most in the entire league. Davis has had season ending injuries to his calf, achilles tendon, groin, knee, ankle, and foot.
When playing at full strength though, there is no stopping Davis. Davis played seven seasons with the Pelicans, during which he made All-NBA First Team three times. In the 2019 offseason, AD would be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would team up with LeBron James, arguably the greatest basketball player ever, to win the 2020 NBA Finals during Davis’ first year as a Laker. That same season AD averaged 26 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks a game, and with James played an equal and integral role in one of the greatest duos in the NBA at the time.
After this incredible season, Davis and the Lakers did not do much at all in the playoffs over the past few years, besides making the 2023 Western Conference Finals, however they would get swept by the eventual NBA Champions in the Denver Nuggets. Over his 13 year tenure in the league, AD has put up 24 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks a game. The now 31 year old Davis is still getting the job done very well both offensively and defensively. However, AD now finds himself with a new team to learn how to play alongside, in what may be the final chapter of his remarkable NBA career, wanting to make the most of every season as a Dallas Maverick.
Shortly after midnight on February 2, 2025, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news and revealed the deal. It was the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA Team players were traded for each other midseason. The popular perception was that the Mavericks would never trade Dončić, the cornerstone of the franchise. “I was really surprised like most people because no one expected the Mavs to trade away their franchise player that has carried them for the past seven years,” explained Daniel Luligo, a junior at DHS and an avid NBA and Milwaukee Bucks fan. Journalists have called the transaction one of the most unexpected trades in NBA and American sports history.
Analysts overwhelmingly concluded that the Lakers won the trade. “The Lakers definitely won the trade because they received the best young star in the league to play with LeBron, whereas the Mavericks only really got an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis who is past his prime,” added Luligo. The Mavericks traded Dončić for several reasons. Shortly after the trade, Harrison told the press that defense wins championships and that Davis was one of the best two-way players in the league. He added that AD exemplified the culture they wanted to create. Harrison, who used to work for Davis’ sponsor Nike, has known AD since the latter was in high school. In addition, it was reported that the team was unhappy about Dončić’s conditioning and diet and disagreed with Dončić about his strength and conditioning regimen.
While these are very real issues that must be addressed, Mavs fans believe that trading Luka was the worst possible answer. LeBron James and the entire Lakers organization welcomed in Dončić smiling with open arms, eager to see his superstardom uplift the Lakers to becoming a real championship contender. However, they also spoke about how much Davis meant to the team and how much he will be missed, losing that strong presence in the paint. While Los Angeles is celebrating, Dallas is distraught. While AD will strengthen the team in many areas where they have been weak, there is no replacing Luka and everything he has done for their organization.
Prior to the trade, the Lakers were 28-19, ranked fifth in the Western Conference, with the Mavericks slightly behind them in seventh place with a then 26-23 record. Needing to be the top ten in their conference come the end of the regular season to make the NBA Play-In Tournament, and a top six seed necessary to be locked in with a guaranteed playoffs spot, both teams were looking good come the postseason. Once the trade hit, things went exactly as fans anticipated. The Lakers blossomed, expanding to a 40-22 record, and ballooning up to second place in the Western Conference, only behind the elite Oklahoma City Thunder at 53-11. Luka is adjusting to the Lakers’ system, but still playing great, averaging 23 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, showing a very promising future for LA.
The Mavs on the other hand, took a step back, as losing Dončić made their record drop to a mediocre 32-33, leaving them in tenth place in the west, hanging on for dear life trying to make the Play-In Tournament. Yet this is not the biggest problem in Dallas. Davis made his Mavericks debut on February 8, in a home win against the Houston Rockets. In the first half, he recorded 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. However, AD suffered an adductor injury in the third quarter and is expected to miss well over a month, likely the rest of the season. The future for the Mavs is worrisome, and they would go on to face their former superstar on the road in Los Angeles on February 25, 2025. This game, Dončić was more fired up than ever, wanting to make a statement to the Mavericks management about the terrible mistake they had made.
During pregame warmups, the players on both teams were friendly and joking with their former superstar teammates, facing off against them for the first time. Dončić warmly embraced former backcourt partner Kyrie Irving and sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Davis, inactive for the time being, greeted teammates Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, before giving a huge hug to LeBron James. Come 10:00 pm though, the friendliness was over as the game began, both teams and organizations wanting to go out and show up the other. Los Angeles won the tipoff, and Luka had already made an immediate impact. Despite forcing up and missing a 26-foot step back three-pointer right as the game started, Dončić sprinted back on the defense, and on the Lakers’ first defensive possession, forcefully blocked a floater taken by Mavs shooting guard Max Christie. Visibly angry, Luka wanted to put away the criticism he heard from Dallas’ general manager Nico Harrison about his defense and conditioning.
A couple minutes later, Dončić finished a driving layup and assisted on a three-pointer for James, bringing the Lakers to a 9-2 lead, and the Staples Center in LA was erupting. On one possession immediately after, Luka missed a layup attempt and flipped out on the refs mid play crying out that he was fouled. With his face visibly bright red making vulgar facial expressions while screaming at the refs, one can imagine that what Dončić said to the refs was nothing pretty, as he was given a technical foul and Kyrie would hit free throws. Luka snagged three boards over the next few minutes as the game went back and forth, as Irving then drained back to back three-pointers within eleven seconds, giving the Mavs their first lead of the game at 14-13 with six minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Dončić sought to make a statement, and fully came through by nailing a way deep, 30-foot three-pointer on the top of the key on the next possession to put LA back on top. As the ball fell through the net, Luka turned around and coldly stared down Dallas’ bench, specifically general manager Nico Harrison as his the latter’s panicked team called a timeout. For the last four minutes of the quarter, not a single field goal attempt was made, limited to merely free throws from James and Dončić for the Lakers and Irving and Thompson for the Mavericks. In all, the first quarter wrapped up with LA notching a solid 28-20 lead.
Both teams came into the second quarter hot, with jump shots falling from Laker wings Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht, along with Klay and forward Naji Marshall helping Kyrie to at least stay within arm’s length of LA. The game continued to go back and forth, with crucial scores and stops made by both teams. With five minutes left in the first half, Dončić threw two back-to-back beautiful assists for three-pointers to Reaves and center Jarred Vanderbilt, with a three-pointer by longtime Mavs guard Spencer Dinwiddie in between. The Lakers now led 50-39.
After getting fouled on a three-pointer by Thompson with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Luka went to the line to shoot three free throws. While making all of them, the fans at the Staples Center erupted upon every make and mocked Dallas’ management by roaring, “Thank you Nico! Thank you Nico!” Dončić smiled and laughed, while Harrison looked annoyed and frustrated sitting directly behind his team’s bench as he was ridiculed. Right before halftime, Max Christie of the Mavs buried two deep threes to bring his team within single digits, now only trailing 59-51, halfway through the most anticipated regular season game all year.
Both teams came back onto the court for the second half revitalized, seeking to take advantage of every opportunity given on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Laker forward Rui Hachimura kicked off the third quarter with a three-pointer, to which Klay responded with one of his own, followed by another just a minute later following a strong driving layup by Dončić. The score was still at 62-54, with Dallas right within reach of LA as they had been all game, trying to finally get a good run going to take the lead. After free throws from Irving for the Mavs and a couple jump shots by LeBron for the Lakers, Dallas found themselves in a rhythm after three straight buckets between Kyrie and Dinwiddie. Halfway through the third, it was a one possession game, with LA ahead at 70-67.
The Lakers would not give their lead away so easily though, with Dončić and Reaves hitting free throws to expand their lead a little bit. On an unexpected moment, Dante Exum, an Australian shooting guard off the bench for Dallas, drilled both a three point and two point jump shot in the final moments of the third quarter, sending a message of energy and grit to his Maverick teammates who were now only trailing at a mere 78-77. Luka, LeBron, and the LA were starting to feel the pressure and were getting truly tested for what felt like the first time all game.
The fourth quarter would be nothing short of non-stop remarkable basketball being played. James set the early tone with a post fadeaway, and Dončić was snagging every rebound that came anywhere his way. After an LA alley-oop dunk from Reaves to center Jaxson Hayes, LeBron got to the rim for a layup, followed by the Mavericks striking back with another three-pointer from Klay. The next possession, James ran through defenders for a layup, with another Thompson three-pointer to top it right after, and then a second alley-oop dunk for Jaxson Hayes just in the game’s final quarter alone. The Lakers still lead, now at 88-85.
Halfway through the fourth quarter, three-pointers were buried by Thompson, next a very deep three from James in response, topped unexpectedly by one from Naji Marshall to tie the game up at 91. At this point, Staples Center was booming as loud as if it were the NBA Finals happening. A couple minutes later, Dončić assisted a dunk to LeBron, and Dinwiddie assisted a crucial three by Kyrie. Hachimura and James both threw down fast break dunks soon after, and a desperate, quick floater by Irving brought the score to a Lakers lead of 102-96 with two minutes remaining.
Hachimura came to life in the game’s clutch moments, with a free throw followed by a driving layup assisted by LeBron. Kyrie responded with an and-one layup while fouled by Luka, and making the free throw to bring the game back to within six points with under a minute to go. A final lop pass from Dončić led James to the basket for a final layup, putting the game away and securing a dramatic, triumphant 107-99 Lakers win. “I thought that the game was gonna be a blowout for the Lakers to win especially with AD out so I was pretty surprised by how close and back and forth the game played out,” elaborated Luligo. The Mavs truly held their own and put up a great fight, keeping the game within single digits nearly the entire time. However they could never go and secure their own lead while the Lakers did and barely held onto it to win the game.
Luka Dončić had an interesting night. He shot a poor 6/17 from the field, a combination of forced up shots, and just having an off night with his jump shot, a rare thing for him. However, Dončić still had his first triple-double as a Laker, putting up 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. Luka even had an excellent defensive night, with three steals and blocks, numbers that are typically never seen by him. “Luka’s could not hit a shot so he went out there and rebounded the ball well and created great shots for his teammates and even played really good defense and did the little things to get the job done and win,” articulated Luligo. It appeared that Dončić’s fire and willpower to disprove his former team transcended the game not necessarily being his shooting night. The now 40 year old Lebron James also had a per usual spectacular night, with 27 points and 12 rebounds, achieving such legendary greatness in his forties to execute at a level of excellence and longevity never before seen in NBA history.
Despite not being able to pull off the upset win, two Maverick players undoubtedly had very good performances that deserve immediate respect: Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. Irving had a total of 35 points, along with seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, a truly great individual performance by one of the most talented players the NBA has ever seen. “I mean Kyrie really had to step up without AD playing and he played great but had no help around him besides Klay who played well too so he ended up falling just short,” Luligo added. Thompson finished the game with 22 points, hitting five three-pointers, all in big moments, and snagged eight rebounds as well, showing that the four-time NBA champion can still play great.
Currently seeded second in the Western Conference at 40-22, between Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and the rest of their very good supporting cast, the Lakers can definitely at least make the Conference Finals, likely against the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Denver Nuggets, maybe even making the NBA Finals if they can get a good playoff run going. On the other hand, while seeded currently tenth in the west at 32-33, the Mavericks with Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis, when he is healthy, will do enough in the NBA Play-In Tournament to secure a playoff spot, but one can not see them being any more than first-round exits come the playoffs. The NBA regular season is already coming to an end, with each team having only about a month left until the real show, the postseason, begins. So let us all enjoy the rest of this NBA regular season and witness the excitement, drama, and excellence as the race for the playoff spots begins.
