Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, the envy of many NBA executives after pulling off the Luka Doncic–Anthony Davis blockbuster, believes the 25-year-old guard will ensure the franchise’s health for the foreseeable future.
“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come,” Pelinka said in the statement relayed by the Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike. “His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for the team. We will be relentless in building a roster around the on court vision Coach (JJ) Redick has for this basketball team and there is an unwavering commitment to that work to serve our loyal and dedicated fans. We are grateful for today and look forward to what’s next.”
We have more from the Lakers’ perspective on the huge trade:
- Despite Davis’ production this season, the Lakers weren’t interested in giving him another extension, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reports. Davis’ current contract runs through at least 2027, with a player option for 2027/28. He would have been extension-eligible after next season. Davis turns 32 next month and has had his share of injuries throughout his career.
- After trading Davis, the Lakers are lacking depth and impact players in their frontcourt. Los Angeles will explore the market prior to Thursday’s trade deadline for a center upgrade, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. However, it’s unclear how much draft capital the team is willing to include in such a deal, according to Buha’s sources. The Lakers have one more tradable first-round pick (2031).
- The Lakers are better positioned for the post-LeBron James era than anticipated, Buha adds. They should now have a top-three player for at least the next six to eight years, Buha notes. As for Doncic’s conditioning issues, the Lakers hope he’ll adopt James’ work ethic and fitness regimen.
- Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke has lobbied for months for the Lakers to retool by dealing both of their aging superstars. He hopes that James will now ask to be traded, though that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The hate towards LA sports teams has only been amplified
It shouldn’t be. The Lakers did nothing to get pissed about, anyone who gets angry should do so at the Mavericks.
Why, are people mad that they’re not going to blaze to the amazing 8th place finish they were currently at mid-season? The dude has played half as many games as 40 year-old Lebron James. His stat line dipped on FG% for the first time in his career (a burning red flag that signals one injury too many and decline in past players). Please believe me when I tell you that the Mavs front office knew the only thing Luka was ever going to do there was hurl up 3s and score awhile longer and then collapse in exhaustion by the second round. There was no path forward to a championship – or even the playoffs – with that kid’s legs.
AD is perennially injured, too, but he’s plenty good enough to keep the Mavs in the blazing hot 8th position they were at in the west. 25 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.4 APG on 52% shooting.
Both teams lost nothing but dead weight. And acquired the same thing.
Hi, Nico!
Lakers exceptionalism is real…
A lot of people are simply going to blame the NBA for not vetoing it like they did the CP3 trade…
The only reason the CP3 trade could get vetoed in the first place is because the NBA owned the Hornets franchise at the time. Not the case here.
This is straight up good business by the Lakers, and it’s not like they’re finding loopholes to parity rules like the Dodgers, signing everyone to massively deferred contracts. I think the “hate” here should probs go Nico Harrison’s way. This could be a historically terrible trade pending Luka’s commitment to working on himself in the future. I got nothing but respect for the Lakers pulling this off.
The Dodgers didn’t find loopholes. Deferred contracts have been going on for decades. Don’t blame the Dodgers for working the system unlike whoever your team is that didn’t.
Deferrals are just tax dodges. They don’t make massive contracts affordable for low and medium revenue teams.
This. The Nationals did the same thing years ago. It’s a common tactic for teams that can afford to do it.
I love how the poor Lakers, the same people who thought Russell Westbrook meant a three-peat – believe that they got the deal of the century here. If this were NBA Live, Luka’s name carries a lot of weight. But the current situation is this: He’s missed half the season with injury, has seen declines in points, FG%, rebounds, and assists, and his team is in 8th place.
Anthony Davis averages 25 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.1 blocks a game, shoots 52% from the field (6% points higher than Luka), and is 1st all-NBA defensive team. He also didn’t implode in the one finals he’s been in. The poor Lakers act like they traded the ball boy for Luka.
This is how crazy it is in Laker Town, Lebron’s circus: They think they got a steal by trading for the superstar on the 8th place team in the west lol He was barely leading his team to a last place finish among playoff teams, and the Lakers, sitting 3 slots above him, were like, “We gotta completely implode everything and get that kid. Maybe we can finish 8th, too.”
Even crazier, they’re talking about Davis’s health even though Luka has missed half a season with injury, is always injured, looked 35 in that finals last year, and still doesn’t know when he can play again. lol Mark muh words. The Lakers just bought another junker.
The hate is just jealousy and envy disguised
Jealousy of what? The Lakers just acquired a superstar that’s missed half the season with injuries and was leading his team to an 8th place finish. What you guys going for in LA? 8th? 5th not good enough, you want to almost knock yourselves out of playoff contention.
Luka’s FG% is down 2-points from last year. That spells decline at 25. Which everyone kept warning him would happen. 25 is that age where enough injuries start to take their toll.
Chances are Lakers bought Luka Light.
No hate. Just another bad “Westbrook” type move.
Notice the consensus is that Doncic, a player who’s been injured almost every day of his career and is currently injured right now, will keep the Lakers healthy into the future.
40 year-old Lebron James has played 20 more games than Doncic this season. They’re just trying to rake in more dollars with a name that’s big on NBA but rarely seen in games these days. He’s out of shape, has a poor attitude, and is the opposite of the mamba mentality.
First time he misses a switch on the defensive end, Kobe’s ghost is going to trip him and end his career.
Not that where a team was in December means much, but the Mavs, same team which just won the West minus DJJ plus Klay, with Exum out and Luka having no pre season at all, were 19-10, fourth in the West on a 10-2 streak, and promptly died once Luka got injured, and Kyrie missed two weeks. 8-1 with Luka until his injury (31/11/9 .426/.521/733, one player of the week) 6-14 since not even counting yesterday. Enough of the 8th place thing. But again, it doesn’t matter: anyone can beat anyone, the West is close, win eight of ten and you gain three spots. The same Mavs are 3-1 against OKC (2-0 without Luka) and beat them last year without home court.
I am impressed at how so secure you are about everything you think/believe. Good for you, until it’s not good anymore.
Mavericks just handed the Lakers a complete post-LeBron rebuild in an act of charity
If Luka learns how to defend,gets back to defend instead of whining and loses 30 pounds, you are correct sir
I still cant believe we just watched a 28-19 team do a full team directional rebuild in 1 move. Totally different team now.
Did they? Or did they realize that their pretty boy is on decline. His FG%, points, rebounds, and assists are all down this year. He’s only played in 22 games – about 22 less than 40 year-old Lebron James.
Davis is 1st team all-defense, is averaging 25 PPG, 11 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game – all on 52 shooting (compared to 46% shooting for Donk).
Truth is, they’re both injury machines. Denver had a lapse last year but they’re going to be in top 2, 3 for the next three years. The Thunder are a year older and ready to give it another go. And there are three teams in the east who would mop the floor with either the Mavs or Lakers.
Lakers are in 5th. Mavs are in 8th. And that all falls on Donk. You can’t win if you can’t play. And he often can’t play.
What if I told you that no matter what either player’s stat line says, neither the Mavs or the Lakers lost anything. Because neither player can stay healthy, and neither is all that interested in conditioning or Mamba like play.
Telling you, first time Kobe’s ghost sees that kid stand there while his man drives by him, he’s going to trip him and end his career. This is a Westbrook all over again. Lakers think they’re getting Luka, and they’re really getting his ghost. The kid’s in decline. And that’s not crazy to say given his ongoing weight problem, zero conditioning (even Barkley had a bicep), and brainless, stand and shoot basketball that takes his team out of games.
Comparing Westbrick to Luka is laughable
Bless your little heart.
OK. I guess the 26 year old top 5 player who just dragged a team to the finals isn’t that good
I am the NBA Mafia.
The reason this trade made no sense is because I pull all the strings capish?
I needed to get the ratings up and Lakers need a superstar…complain more and the next trade I do is Nikola Jokic for Christian Koloko.
This is mafia business we make money in gambling and views.
I am Bigspoon NBA Mafia Godfather. Adam Silver is my puppet.
OK, Elon….
Nah.
The only thing I can see is this. If you’re hell bent on trading Luka and you want to trade him another superstar the best superstar you’re going to get is most likely AD. The Nuggets, Bucks, Celtics, Spurs, and Thunder aren’t trading their superstar and we already saw how the Durant/Irving combo went. Seems to me that could’ve gotten nearly Lakers pick though.
Fox to Spurs
LaVine to Kings
What the hell is BR on today?
Im a Knick fan and I’m not sure that anyone cares that I don’t care
Bronny will now lead the lakers 2 yrs from now…
Just an absolutely stupid trade by the Mavs. Lakers somehow manage to always make lob-sided trades
AD, Kyrie, Gafford, Lively II, Klay, PJ, Grimes, Dinwiddie is actually a very good group for their top 8 rotation pieces
Watch. Luka plays no defense and is entering his late 20’s with bad fitness habits. I give at least a 75% chance we’ve already seen his peak.
Yeah, remember when they got Westbrook? Dude averages a triple-double for multiple seasons, the Lakers are gonna win three straight.
Woops, that didn’t happen did it? It was a disaster?
This will be the same. Doncic has declined this year in FG%, points, rebounds, and assists, an across the board dip that you always see with players who are declining. He’s missed half the season (and you can’t win if you can’t play). He’s just like AD: Brilliant but always injured, lazy, and just there to get his stat line.
The Lakers aren’t in 5th because of Lebron. They’re in 5th because of AD. He’s averaging 25 PPG, 11.9 RPG, and 3.4 APG, 2.1 BPG on 52% shooting. And he’s 1st team all-defense in the NBA. He also has a ring – with Lebron. After watching Donk fall to pieces in last year’s playoffs (worst performance I’ve ever seen by a finals superstar in the entire 30+ years I’ve been watching), I’m surprised the Lakers would Westbrook it again.
The Mavs were in 8th and going to fall out of playoff contention. Please tell me exactly why it’s a bad move – unless you just really think Donk is sexy out there. He’s shredded his legs with that weight. He looked like a 35 year-old man by last year’s finals, and the NBA got twice as tough this year with teams like Cleveland and the Thunder looking just as mean as Denver. He was going nowhere with Dallas, and Dallas was going nowhere with him. Same with the Lakers. 5th place mediocrity, no hope of a championship. It’s the Lakers who took a risk. If things go south – and they will, these are two players with nightmarishly contrasting play styles, it’ll be like the two stooges out there – the Lakers might not even make the playoffs. Dallas wasn’t going to anyway.
But please, if you think this puts the Lakers in championship contention, tell me so I can laugh for 10 straight minutes.
The Lakers will be laughing for 10 straight years.
Mavs winning the West ………
Hope they start Christie. Was playing really well since starting. Big time 2Way potential. Makes a good combo with Kyrie.
Not a big Fan of either Ky or Luka. Looks like Kyrie has the best chance at a chip. Better and deeper team.
I agree with you. People are talking like Anthony Davis is a bench player or something, the dude is a beast when he’s healthy and every bit as good as Luka, just in a different way.
My feeling is that the Mavs front office knew something no one else does. Lakers couldn’t pass up the ticket sells to bring him onboard, but I bet you anything his injuries this year are more serious than anyone is saying.
I just had to stop by to laugh at the quote that Luka – a guy who’s missed half the season with injuries – is going to keep the Lakers healthy for a long time.
Let’s see on one hand Luka has never played 70 games in a 82 game season, he averages around 65-66 games a season. He does not like playing man up defense full court, he even admitted it, he has to have the ball 95% of the time and he never has been in basketball shape.
The Laker made this trade for star power sake mostly, Luka will make the Lakers better when he is on the court, are they a championship quality team right now, odds say no, are they top 5 NBA team right now with this trade, No.
In my honest opinion this NBA trade was made in a year with NBA TV ratings are way down, interest in the NBA overall is no good, people saying the NBA should of denied the trade ala Chris Paul trade to the Laker back a few years ago, not happening with because of interest and tv ratings down. This was a trade that the NBA needed just for publicity, took some of the headlines away from the Superbowl for a couple of days. This trade is up to Luka, he does need to get into shape drop about 25 -30 pounds first thing, can he and Labron play together as one, only time will tell, both need the ball. Stay tune the last 30 games will be interesting.