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 stories confirmed by CBS Information Los Angeles.
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball towards Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers within the first half of the sport at American Airways Heart on February 26, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
Ron Jenkins / Getty Photographs
In a transfer first reported by Shams Charania from ESPN, the deal additionally entails the Utah Jazz, who will obtain Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Lakers’ first-round choose in 2023, a second-round choose within the 2025 NBA Draft through the Clippers and a 2025 second-round choose from the Mavericks. The Clippers choose comes from a four-team commerce in 2023.
Los Angeles, at present 28-19 and fifth within the Western Convention, may even obtain Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber, whereas Max Christie and a 2029 first-round choose can be going to Dallas, 26-23 to date this season and eighth within the division.
The commerce is already being known as one of many largest 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 unusual 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 publish 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 huge 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 Crew berth whereas with the Lakers.
At the moment he is averaging 25.7 factors, 11.9 rebounds and a couple of.1 blocks per recreation, based on Basketball Reference.
His time with the Lakers has been considerably marred by accidents, particularly in current seasons. Between the 2020-21 season and the 2022-23 season, Davis performed in simply 52% of the Lakers’ 236 video games on account of a slew of accidents that embrace an MCL sprain and varied different decrease physique accidents.
Following the commerce, Mavericks’ Normal Supervisor Nico Harrison informed ESPN that protection wins championships.
“I consider that getting an All-Defensive heart and an All-NBA participant with a defensive mindset provides us a greater probability. We’re constructed to win now and sooner or later,” Harrison stated.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 17: Los Angeles Lakers ahead LeBron James (23) and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) ready within the backcourt in the course of the NBA recreation between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers on January 17. 2024, at Crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles, CA.
Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs
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 Crew, the 2019 Rookie of the 12 months 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.
Whereas talking on SportsCenter, Charania stated that LeBron James had “no thought this was coming” and that Dončić was “nonetheless shocked.”
In 2018, Dončić informed reporters at a Mavericks Media Day that James was his favourite participant to observe as he grew up.
“He is like my idol,” Dončić stated on the time.
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 group’s back-to-back NBA Championships in 2009 and 2010.
Extra from CBS Information
Dean Fioresi