When Shams Charania hit send at 12:12 a.m. ET on February 2, 2025, his hands were trembling. The ESPN insider had just typed out what would become the most-viewed breaking-news tweet in NBA history, and even he wasn’t sure it was real.
“I basically was like, ‘Is this f***ing real?'” Charania later recalled on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast. The person on the other end confirmed it: Luka Dončić was getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tonight, the Lakers visit Dallas for another regular-season clash with the Mavericks, and every time these franchises meet, it stirs up memories of that surreal Saturday night. Charania’s reaction wasn’t an exaggeration, as the trade became one of the most shocking transactions in sports history and altered the landscape of the NBA.
The Lakers’ Trade for Luka Dončić Shocked the NBA
The Mavericks sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, a 2029 first-round pick, with the Utah Jazz facilitating salary by absorbing Jalen Hood-Schifino’s contract. The immediate response was disbelief.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso replied, “Nah shams gotta be hacked.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Mavs superfan Patrick Mahomes, days away from Super Bowl LIX, wrote simply: “I’m sick rn.”
Even SportsCenter anchor Phil Murphy acknowledged on air that ESPN was “gonna try and dial up Shams to make sure he didn’t get hacked.”
Four minutes later, Charania followed up: “Yes, this is real.”
The Mavericks justified the move by framing it as a business decision, with general manager Nico Harrison arguing that Davis’ two-way ability provided better championship equity.
Owner Patrick Dumont called it “a risk-allocation decision.” Harrison worried that if Dončić knew he was on the trading block, he could dictate his destination by threatening his 2026 opt-out. The Mavericks reportedly never opened bidding to other teams, a choice that drew widespread condemnation.
The Fallout From the Mavericks’ Stunning Deal
The reaction across the league ranged from stunned to furious. Emmanuel Acho, a Dallas native, called it “one of the biggest mistakes in the history of sports” and “organizational malpractice.”
The Dallas Morning News ran a front-page headline that captured the city’s grief in three words: “Luka Was Ours.”
On April 9, 2025, Dončić played his first game at American Airlines Center as a Laker. The Mavericks placed T-shirts on every seat reading “Hvala za vse,” Slovenian for “Thank you for everything.”
When the tribute video played, Dončić sat alone on the visitors’ bench, head down, wiping away tears. His eyes were still red when he took the court.
“After that video, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m playing this game,'” he said afterward.
He played… and he dominated. No. 77 poured in 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7 3-pointers, with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.
Throughout the game, “Fire Nico!” chants echoed through the arena. The Dallas crowd cheered every Dončić basket while Harrison watched stone-faced from a midcourt tunnel.
The Lakers won 112-97, clinching a playoff spot in the process.
Fourteen months later, the Luka trade has become a cautionary tale. Davis played just 29 games for Dallas before being shipped to the Washington Wizards in February 2026 for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, and modest draft capital.
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Harrison was fired in November 2025. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL last March and is out for the season.
The Mavericks’ final return for Dončić? Christie, a handful of role players, three underwhelming first-round picks, and three second-rounders. The franchise is now 24-53 and building around rookie Cooper Flagg, whom they selected with the No. 1 pick after improbably winning the draft lottery.
Dončić, meanwhile, was leading the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game before being unfortunately sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The Lakers sit at 50-27, third in the West. The Slovenian guard signed a three-year, $165 million extension last August, cementing his future in purple and gold.
When the teams tip off tonight, the scoreboard will show a routine late-season game, especially since Dončić isn’t playing and Davis is no longer on Dallas’ roster. However, it will serve as a reminder of one of the worst trades in NBA history.
