Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson reacted to the stunning Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade with a series of posts on X on Sunday, and it’s safe to say he’s a happy man. Johnson started off by stating that he had never witnessed a trade of such proportions in all the years he’s been around the NBA.
“I’ve been associated with the NBA for 45 years and this Luka and AD trade is the biggest trade I’ve seen between two superstars essentially in their prime! With Luka, the Lakers are getting a 25-year-old superstar; this is a great long-term move for the Lakers franchise after LeBron retires.”
We have never seen anything like this deal. This was the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other midseason. While the Dallas Mavericks are getting an incredible player in Davis, there’s no doubt the Lakers are the winners here.
They get a generational talent in Doncic, who is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2024-25. Johnson believes it is a great long-term move for the Lakers and also thinks the Slovenian makes them a contender.
“Luka Doncic will definitely make the Lakers a championship-contending team. He’ll take pressure off of LeBron because of his scoring ability and playmaking and will make every Laker better! LeBron James will be a positive influence on Luka, teaching him his championship mentality that includes taking his conditioning seriously.”
Doncic certainly could learn a lot from LeBron James, who is still dominating in his 22nd season in the NBA. James has taken great care of his body to last this long and could pass on some important advice to his newest teammate. Doncic’s conditioning has always been a big talking point and if he takes to heart whatever LeBron tells him, he could well prolong his career.
Johnson then shifted his focus to Davis, urging Lakers fans to thank the big man for all he has done for the franchise.
“Laker Nation, we have to thank AD for his five and a half seasons including a championship in 2020. AD was having an MVP season which will make Dallas better and he can go back to his natural position of playing the 4.”
Davis was acquired by the Lakers in 2019 and played a big role in that title run in 2020. He had some disappointing seasons after that but bounced back in 2023-24 and carried that momentum into this campaign.
Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game in 2024-25 and he now looks to help the Mavericks get to the Promised Land. Max Christie is also going to Dallas with the nine-time All-Star and Johnson believes their departure will hurt the Lakers’ defense.
“Max Christie being traded to the Mavericks is going to hurt the Lakers defense, so now Finney-Smith and Vanderbilt will have to step up defensively to fill that void.”
The Lakers will need Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt to step up. These two and Gabe Vincent are pretty much the only good defenders on the team now and expect the Lakers to struggle a bit defensively following this trade. While Johnson is worried about that, he is looking forward to seeing James and Doncic play together.
“You know I love assists, and with LeBron and Luka teaming up, I get to watch two of the best passers that have ever played on the same team! I can hardly wait to see Luka in a Lakers jersey in Crypto arena! Laker Nation, get ready!”
The Lakers are going to be a must-watch with James and Doncic. They’re going to produce magic on the court together and you’ll certainly be entertained if you tune in. Johnson also believes that Doncic going to the Lakers is great for the NBA.
“Luka Doncic going to the Lakers is amazing for the NBA, just like Shohei Ohtani was when we signed him to the Dodgers! I want to congratulate Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss and GM Rob Pelinka for bringing Luka Doncic to LA to play for our beloved Lakers!”
It’s certainly great for the Lakers but for the NBA? Well, that’s doubtful. The Lakers having another mega-star fall into their laps certainly isn’t something that too many teams would be happy about. A big positive with this move, though, is that it should bring more eyeballs to the league.
Johnson concluded by stating that the Lakers needed to bring in a center after trading Davis.
“And with this Luka trade, the Lakers definitely need a big man.”
Well Magic, if you hadn’t traded away Ivica Zubac for Mike Muscala in 2019 when you were the president of basketball operations for the Lakers, they might not have needed a big man today. It will be interesting to see who the Lakers are able to bring in, with the Feb. 6 trade deadline just days away now.
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.
