A new report reveals when the Los Angeles Lakers began talks on a blockbuster Luka Doncic trade, and it was far earlier than fans may realize.
Expectations for the Lakers this season were not sky-high. They were coming off back-to-back years in the play-in tournament. Top star Lebron James is even closer to 40, and they switched head coaches when the offseason began. Yet, LA has played better than some expected over the first half.
Related: Winners, Losers from stunning Luka Doncic trade between Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
Entering the week they had a top-five record in a stacked Western Conference. And are closing in on being 10 games over .500 after an upset win against the Knicks over the weekend. Yet despite obvious momentum being built by the roster, the organization had the chance to acquire a player who could be the face of the organization for the next decade.
On Saturday night, they agreed to a shocking trade that netted them Dallas Maverick superstar Luka Doncic in exchange for one first-round pick and star big man Anthony Davis. It was a deal that came out of nowhere and shocked the sport.
However, on Sunday NBA insider Marc Stein added some new details to the story and it seems the two sides had been discussing a deal for close to a month.
- Luka Doncic stats (2024-25): 28.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 7.8 APG, 2.0 SPG 35% 3PT
Los Angeles Lakers trade talks with Dallas Mavericks began a month ago
“[Mavericks general manager Nico] Harrison and his Lakers counterpart Rob Pelinka had their first conversations about the broad concept of a trade headlined by Dončić and Davis on Jan. 7, when the Lakers were in town to play the Mavericks,” Stein revealed.
“They kept the talks quiet for more than three weeks, sources said, by letting only two more parties into the circle until a trade agreement was close: New Mavericks majority owner Patrick Dumont and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.”
It explains why the deal caught Doncic, Davis, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, and Lebron James off guard. Only four people knew about the ongoing discussions. Harrison revealed during a press conference last night that Pelinka and his boss were both surprised by the idea of actually trading a player considered among the top three in the game. But Harrison was dead set on getting talent he was more “comfortable” with.
- Luka Doncic contract: Five years, $215 million
“Sources told The Stein Line on Sunday that the front office’s comfort level with players Harrison knows well — like recent acquisitions Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington — was another key driver in his specific pursuit of Davis from the Lakers,” Stein wrote. “Harrison knew exactly who he wanted and never wavered from trying to land him.
“With Davis, Harrison has a longstanding working relationship dating to Harrison’s lengthy stint at Nike. After processing the shock of the trade himself, Davis duly waived the trade bonus in his contract to help the Mavericks’ with their luxury tax situation before heading to town.”