Luka Doncic joins the Lakers after his trade from the Mavericks

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. β Luka Doncic says he was just as shocked as the rest of the basketball world when the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The superstar scorer has begun to recover from the move after his first two days in LA, and he’s already excited about a new chapter with LeBron James and his famed new team.
βIt was a big shock,β Doncic said. βIt was hard moments for me. I had to check if it was April 1. β¦ (But now) I get to play in the greatest club in the world, and Iβm excited for this new journey.β
Doncic officially joined the Lakers on Tuesday, just over two days after the Mavericks sent him to Los Angeles in that seismic trade.
The Lakers traded Anthony Davis and Max Christie in a three-team deal to acquire Doncic, who won his first scoring title last season before leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals. Doncic is a five-time All-NBA selection.
Stars of Doncicβs age and accomplishments are almost never traded, but Dallas decided to move on from its 25-year-old centerpiece β and the Lakers eagerly accepted. Doncic acknowledged he was stunned.
βHonestly, it was hard at first,β Doncic said. βThat first day was really hard. I felt like these last 48 hours was one month. Emotionally, it was really hard, but today was much better. Iβm just very happy to be here for this opportunity. This is the Lakers. Itβs one of the best clubs in history, so Iβm excited to be here.”
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic speaks next to general manager Rob Pelinka during an introductory NBA basketball press conference Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in El Segundo, Calif. Credit: AP/Jae C. Hong
General manager Rob Pelinka didn’t hide his excitement at landing Doncic when they met with the media at the Lakers’ training complex.
βWe have one of the gameβs biggest superstars and an international player coming to join the Lakers,β Pelinka said. βI think itβs going to be something incredibly special that the NBA and basketball has never seen before.β
The trade stunned the sports world, leaving many Mavs fans furious β including Doncic’s father, Sasa, who said his son βabsolutely did not deserve this.β
Doncic hasn’t played since Christmas because of a calf strain, but he is thought to be close to a return to the court. The Lakers have four games in the Los Angeles area in the next seven days, including a road game against the Clippers on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic speaks next to general manager Rob Pelinka during an introductory NBA basketball press conference Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in El Segundo, Calif. Credit: AP/Jae C. Hong
The Lakers also acquired Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in the trade with Dallas.
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