The entire basketball world fell into a state of shock when the news broke that the Los Angeles Lakers traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Dončić. It was almost as if time stood still when this trade was announced.
Now, a little over a week removed from the trade news, we learn that even NBA commissioner Adam Silver was surprised to find out the details of the trade. Typically, you’d expect the commissioner of the league to be privy to some of these dealings, but this was kept under wraps so tightly that it even shocked Silver.
Adam Silver’s Shock About Luka Dončić Trade
When speaking during his media availability at All-Star Weekend, Silver finally addressed the trade itself in detail.
Adam Silver on the Luka/AD trade:
"I was surprised. That was news to me" pic.twitter.com/x97jaIZ2vw
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 16, 2025
“I was surprised when I heard about the trade. I did not know that Luka was potentially a player that was about to be traded. That was news to me. I followed it like a fan from that standpoint.
“I’ve said before it’s kind of confidential information that’s generally not shared with the league in advance unless a team is publicly shopping a player, and to the best of my knowledge, that’s not what happened in the case of Dallas and Los Angeles.”
Silver’s comments showcase just how unbelievable this trade was. There had been zero rumblings that the Mavericks were looking to trade Dončić and very little talk of the Lakers looking to move Davis. Players such as Zach Lavine, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler III, and others were known as being available, but for these two, we saw no signs of potential movement.
Will the Mavericks Regret This Trade?
One might assume the Mavericks already regret this trade, as Davis is currently sidelined indefinitely after playing just one game for the team. Whether Davis returns before the end of the season or not is unclear, but for a Mavericks team that’s currently struggling to remain in the play-in picture, not having someone with his ability on the court will be challenging.
Dončić isn’t off to a fiery start in Los Angeles so far himself, but that could change in the coming weeks. Availability is the key factor here, and if Dončić is available and willing to do all of the things that Los Angeles needs, there has to be a small sense of regret for Dallas.
Despite general manager Nico Harrison’s comments that this was a move for Dallas to win now, most people are still confused about why this trade occurred. Anytime you can make a trade that shocks the actual commissioner of the league, you’ve done something. Perhaps Patrick Dumont and Harrison feel good about their decision, but that won’t stop everyone else from scratching their heads about this trade.
