The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly kept the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade under wraps for nearly a month, according to NBA insider Kirk Goldsberry on The Dumb Zone podcast. Goldsberry claimed that the Lakers’ front office was fully aware of the deal well before it happened and had already started constructing trade deadline plans around Doncic’s arrival.
“Well, I know that the whole group, the front office, knew it was happening for almost a month. Like, he didn’t keep it quiet. The front office was at work, putting a roster together and building trade deadline scenarios based on a reality where they might have number 77 in purple and gold. Like, this was not kept quiet.”
This revelation raises serious questions about just how many people within the organization knew about the trade before it became public. If the entire front office was aware of the move in advance, then did LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul also know?
Anthony Davis recently expressed skepticism that nobody in the organization had prior knowledge, suggesting that some players may have been left in the dark while key figures in the franchise were already preparing for Doncic’s arrival.
Despite all the secrecy surrounding the trade, the Lakers find themselves in an excellent position in the Western Conference standings. Sitting at 35-21, they currently hold the fifth seed, just two games behind the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Since January 14th, the Lakers have been the best team in the NBA, boasting a 15-4 record while maintaining the league’s top-ranked defense during that stretch. Their resurgence has put them firmly in the conversation as a legitimate championship contender.
Luka Doncic has played five games in a Lakers uniform, with the team going 3-2 in that span. While the two losses were uncharacteristic defeats against lottery teams, the Lakers have also secured statement victories, including a dominant win over the Denver Nuggets and an emotional triumph against Doncic’s former team, the Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic has averaged 19.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting 38.1% from the field in purple and gold. It is clear that Doncic is still working his way back into peak form after missing nearly two months with a calf injury.
His first few games were a struggle as he adjusted to his new teammates and the Lakers’ system. However, his last two performances have been much more in line with his usual standard.
He erupted for 32 points in a road victory against the Nuggets and followed that up with a triple-double in his emotional first game against the Mavericks since the trade.
As Doncic continues to regain his rhythm, the Lakers’ potential remains sky-high. If he returns to his full superstar level, alongside a still-dominant LeBron James and a resurgent supporting cast, the Lakers will be a nightmare matchup for any opponent in the playoffs.
While the secrecy surrounding the trade may have raised eyebrows, there is no doubt that Los Angeles has emerged from the deadline as a more dangerous team than ever.
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