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Report: Mavericks, Lakers to make absolute blockbuster deal
It is quite simply one of the biggest trades in NBA history.
It is quite simply one of the biggest trades in NBA history. Sports history, even.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
The three-team deal, reported just after midnight on Sunday in the eastern time zone, also involves the Utah Jazz, who will receive Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers and two second-round picks.
The deal seemingly comes out of nowhere, as no prior indications from either team or major player involved — Doncic or Davis — pointed to anyone wanting out of their current situations.
However, according to Charania, the Mavericks approached the Lakers recently and offered Doncic. NBA insider Marc Stein added that Doncic did not request a trade.
“This deal materialized in the shadows. This came out of nowhere,” Charania said. “It was never clearly out there. … I’m told Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, the players, coaches, a lot of people on both sides of the Mavericks and Lakers had no idea. I can assuredly tell you, it’s a fact: LeBron James had no idea this was coming.
“I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.”
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon added that the Mavericks had concerns moving forward with Doncic due to the guard’s “constant conditioning issues” and were concerned about his upcoming five-year, $345 million supermax contract extension, which he would’ve been eligible to sign this summer. Because he was traded, he is no longer able to sign a supermax.
On the other hand, the Lakers view Doncic as having the potential to be the face of their franchise for the next decade.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison spoke to ESPN after the deal and explained the rationale behind dealing Doncic.
“I believe that defence wins championships,” Harrison said. “I believe that getting an All-Defence centre and an All-NBA player with a defence mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Doncic, the 25-year-old Slovenian superstar, has been out of the Mavericks’ lineup since Dec. 25 while dealing with a calf injury. According to Stein, he is targeting a Feb. 8 return.
Despite missing time, the guard has been as productive as ever, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game in the 22 contests he has suited up for this season.
Doncic has a year left on his five-year, $215-million contract and has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Davis, meanwhile, has spent the better part of the last six seasons with the Lakers since being traded there ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, which concluded with a title run for the franchise.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Davis will waive his trade kicker for the deal to be completed. This means that Davis will not earn a bonus which would have been paid by the Lakers.
Additionally, the Mavericks will now be $628,000 under the luxury tax after the deal. They were $5.1 million over before, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, meaning they now have the freedom to make additional moves as they look to build toward another NBA Finals run.
The 31-year-old is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.1 blocks this season while functioning as the Lakers’ defensive lynchpin. Davis is a five-time All-Defensive selection and a five-time All-NBA selection.
Davis is currently dealing with an abdominal muscle strain and is set to miss at least the next week, meaning that both superstars won’t don their new colours for just a little while longer.
The centre reportedly has a strong relationship with the Mavs GM back from Harrison’s time working as an executive at Nike, per Marc Spears.
Along with Doncic, the Lakers will receive Morris — who won the title with the team in 2020 — and Kleber, who is currently dealing with a broken foot suffered on Jan. 25 and is slated to miss a considerable amount of time.
Christie, who the Mavericks got in addition to Davis, is a third-year guard who was enjoying a breakout campaign starting for the Lakers. He’s averaging 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.8 steals per game.
Hood-Schifino, 21, has struggled to produce in his two seasons with the Lakers since being drafted 17th overall in 2023. He has suited up for two games with Los Angeles this season.
By trading their 2029 first-round pick, the Lakers only have one more first-round pick in 2031 that they’re allowed to trade should they wish to continue to build around the new core of the 40-year-old LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, James learned about the trade when it first broke and had no idea it was in the works.
The Lakers are currently 28-19 and have won eight of their last 10 games. They sit in fifth in the Western Conference. The Mavericks, meanwhile, have struggled without Doncic and are 4-6 in their last 10 and 26-23 overall, good for ninth in the West.
The two sides are set to square off two more times this season, with the Mavericks visiting Los Angeles on Feb. 25 and the Lakers visiting Dallas on April 9.
