According to sources who spoke to ESPN’s Shams Charania late Saturday night, the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz reached a three-team agreement that would exchange Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic in a historic trade that will likely affect the Western Conference’s power dynamics for years to come.
According to insiders, the Mavericks will trade Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles. Max Christie, Davis, and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick will all go to Dallas.
Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Clippers’ 2025 second-round pick, and the Mavs’ 2025 second-round pick will all go to the Jazz.
League sources tell ESPN that Dallas started the trade negotiations a few days ago. Since Harrison was Kobe Bryant’s marketing manager at Nike and Pelinka was Bryant’s agent, Harrison and Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager and vice president of basketball operations, have maintained a close relationship.
Lakers superstar LeBron James learned of the trade when it broke while he was out to dinner with his family after Saturday’s win against the New York Knicks, sources close to James told ESPN. James was surprised by the news, is processing it and had no idea it was in the works, sources said. Davis and Doncic were also not informed of the trade ahead of time, sources told Charania.
The Mavericks were motivated to move Doncic because of his constant conditioning concerns, sources told MacMahon. There had been significant frustration within the organization about Doncic’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered a major factor in his injury issues.
Doncic was in line to receive a five-year, $345 million contract this summer but because of the trade, he is no longer eligible for a super max deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
