The NBA world was left speechless when news broke that the Dallas Mavericks had traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in a move that nobody saw coming.
The deal, which materialized in complete secrecy, stunned fans, analysts, and even players across the league. As soon as Shams Charania dropped the bombshell on social media, NBA stars past and present flooded Twitter with their instant reactions—most of them filled with disbelief.
Dirk Nowitzki, the greatest player in Mavericks history and a mentor to Doncic, summed up what everyone was feeling with a single emoji:
” “
The German legend rarely tweets about major moves, but this one was too big to ignore. Dirk has been a father figure to Luka throughout his NBA journey, so his shock was understandable. Seeing Doncic, the supposed future of the Mavericks, suddenly shipped out of Dallas was something even he couldn’t process.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, another international superstar who understands the pressures of carrying a franchise, reacted cryptically:
” “
Whether he was implying that the NBA landscape had frozen over or that Doncic’s world had been turned upside down, one thing was clear—he was stunned.
Joel Embiid, the 2023 MVP, was even more direct:
“WOWWWWW NO F WAY”
Like many other stars, Embiid couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Several active players initially questioned whether the report was legitimate. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tweeted:
“Shams got hacked?”
Alex Caruso, a former Laker, echoed the sentiment:
“Nah, Shams gotta be hacked.”
CJ McCollum, still trying to make sense of it all, wrote:
“I can’t tell what’s real and fake anymore on these apps. Luka really going to the Lakers or nah?”
Jalen Brunson was completely shocked by the Luka Doncic trade and couldn’t believe it was real.
First, he reacted with pure disbelief, tweeting “Holy shit.”
Then, he questioned if it was a joke, writing “April fools right?” before finally accepting reality with a simple “Wow.”
Josh Hart, always known for his blunt social media presence, simply wrote:
“Huh?????”
Austin Rivers, never shy to give his opinion, made it clear that he found the trade absurd:
“Somebody check on Nico. Smh this is blasphemous. I love AD, but this is fucking insane. Luka a top 3 player in NBA!! They went to the finals last year… lol smh.”
Former Lakers center Dwight Howard also weighed in with a savage take:
“AD said he wanted a 5 and they traded bro damn.”
Grant Williams, who has played with Doncic, was so baffled he blamed Disney:
“No way this is real!! DISNEY HAD TO BE HACKED BECAUSE NO WAY LUKA IS A LAKE.”
Rudy Gobert, in his typical dry humor, compared it to science fiction:
“The multiverse is real.”
CJ McCollum later followed up with a serious reflection on the league’s unpredictability:
“Gotta pack them bags just in case nowadays. If the Don got traded, only Lord knows.”
That statement rang true for every NBA player watching from afar. If Luka Doncic—one of the best players in the league—could be traded without warning, anyone could be on the move.
The reactions from NBA players make one thing clear: this trade has rocked the basketball world. Doncic was supposed to be untouchable, the future of the Mavericks, the guy they would build around for years to come. Instead, he’s now a Laker, and the league is still trying to wrap its head around it.
The fallout from this trade is far from over. But for now, one thing is certain—nobody, not even the biggest names in basketball, saw this coming.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
