I am absolutely shocked that this happened.
Just days ago I was in Charlotte, North Carolina, visiting my best friend. We were celebrating life, with his first child on the way, his birthday just passed, and my own coming up on February 3rd. That night, we watched Anthony Davis put on a masterclass—an AD 40-20 performance that had us shaking our heads in awe. Sitting there, I couldn’t help but reflect on how many all-time AD performances I’ve seen in a Lakers uniform.
It was a night of gratitude. A night of appreciating that no matter what happens after the LeBron James era, the Lakers had a franchise big man to carry them forward.
Then last night, I watched an Anthony Davis-less Lakers team go into Madison Square Garden and control the Knicks wire to wire. No AD. No problem. If anything, it reinforced the idea that the Lakers could still make noise in the playoffs with him at the helm.
That was when the Woj bomb—scratch that, the Shams bomb—dropped.
Disbelief: “This Has to Be Fake”
My first reaction? No way.
I thought it was one of those fake Shams tweets, the kind where someone changes their display name and fools the entire timeline for 15 minutes. Or maybe his account got hacked—I mean, I just saw Kanye West tweeting last night with Kamala Harris as his profile picture. These things happen.
So I chalked it up to one of those nights on the timeline.
Then, Shams doubled down.
And that’s when I nearly fell out of my seat.
The entire NBA world exploded. In an instant, the Lakers were no longer Anthony Davis’ team. In an instant, they became Luka Dončić’s.
Anthony Davis: The Trade That Saved the Lakers
Before we even get into the trade itself, let’s take a second to appreciate Anthony Davis and what he did for this franchise.
When he arrived in 2019, the Lakers were stuck in that ‘young core’ era. That was a fun team, sure, but not built to win. The front office made the move that had to be made, sending Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks to New Orleans for AD.
That trade changed everything.
The moment he got here, the Lakers were back in championship mode. Pairing AD with LeBron gave them one of the best duos in the league, and in 2020 he put up a playoff run for the ages:
- 27.7 points
- 9.7 rebounds
- 3.5 assists
- 1.4 blocks
- 1.2 steals
His dominance in the Bubble helped deliver banner No. 17, cementing his place in Lakers history.
So yeah, I’m shocked by this trade, but I’m also grateful. Anthony Davis gave the Lakers exactly what they needed—a return to relevance, a championship, and years of elite basketball.
A Historic Parallel: The Pau Gasol Trade Anniversary
And here’s the crazy part—this happened on the anniversary of the Pau Gasol trade.
On February 1, 2008, the Lakers made another franchise-changing move, landing Gasol from the Grizzlies for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, and two first-round picks.
That trade helped Kobe get back to the Finals, leading to back-to-back titles.
Seventeen years later to the day, the Lakers just pulled off another all-time trade. This time, it’s Luka Dončić.
The Trade Breakdown: How Did This Even Happen?
- Lakers receive: Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
- Mavericks receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 first-round pick
- Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, the LA Clippers’ 2025 second-round pick, and the Mavericks’ 2025 second-round selection.
Dallas never even shopped Luka. They called the Lakers and it got done in 72 hours. That’s wild.
Also, let’s pause and acknowledge Max Christie. The Chicago suburb kid. Rolling Meadows’ own. My fake grandson. We watched him grow in these last three years, and now he’s off to Dallas. Best of luck to him.
But back to the big picture.
The Lakers just traded for a 25-year-old Hall of Fame player. Luka is already a five-time All-NBA first-team selection. He’s younger than Austin Reaves. This wasn’t just about winning now—this was about securing the future in a way nobody expected.
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What Happens Next? Are the Lakers Better Today?
The short answer? Not yet.
There is a Grand Canyon-sized hole at center now. Maxi Kleber and Jackson Hayes as the only real bigs? That’s not a championship frontcourt. The Lakers have to make another move.
But here’s the problem—other GMs were blindsided.
Teams didn’t even get a chance to put in an offer for Luka. And after seeing the Lakers pull off this kind of trade, how eager do you think they are to help them fill that void? I’m pessimistic that anyone will go out of their way to give the Lakers an impact center before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Still, I’m hopeful that Rob Pelinka has something lined up. Myles Turner? Jonas Valančiūnas if he gets bought out? There are options.
But as of today, this team is vulnerable.
LeBron James: The Next Domino to Fall?
So now what? What does LeBron think about all this?
The thing is, he didn’t know this was happening.
LeBron was at dinner with his family, fresh off his own masterclass performance against the Knicks, when the news broke. The jury is still out on how he feels about it. He hasn’t publicly commented, and right now, we have no clue whether he’s thrilled to team up with Luka or blindsided by losing AD.
The only thing we’ve heard from LeBron since the trade?
Him shutting down a report that he had “grown tired” of Anthony Davis. He didn’t just debunk it—he quote-tweeted the reporter and called him a “fucking clown.”
That’s it. That’s the only statement he’s made.
So the big question remains—where does he go from here?
Is he locked in and ready to chase a title with Luka? Or is he looking around, wondering if it’s time to figure out his next move?
I think he’s got one, maybe two more seasons left. And at this point, whatever he decides to do, I’m good with it. He gave the Lakers life again when he showed up in 2018. He delivered a championship. If he stays? Great. If he moves on? No hard feelings.
People have been floating LeBron to the Warriors. I find that hilarious, but after this trade? Nothing is off the table.
Final Thoughts: A Trade That Changes Everything
This trade is going down in NBA history as one of the most shocking ever.
The Lakers did what they always do—land Hall of Fame talent. No matter the circumstances, they find a way.
But this move wasn’t just about today. It was about the next decade. And that changes everything.
The NBA is watching. The fans are still processing. And the next dominoes?
They’re about to fall.
What’s Next for the Lakers?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below. How are you feeling about the Luka-AD swap? What should the Lakers do next before the deadline?
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