The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA community on Saturday night by trading their superstar Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade ended the Mavericks’ dominant duo of Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
On February 2, 2025, the Lakers acquired Doncic alongside teammates Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, In return, the Mavericks gained promising young talent Max Christie and superstar Anthony Davis, along with a coveted first-round pick in 2029. Following the trade, attention shifted to Kyrie Irving’s future with the franchise, but a surprising new insight emerged that stunned fans.
“Irving, by all indications, remains on course for a new multi-year deal in July. He turns 33 on March 23 — which is the same day Kidd turns 52 — and holds a $44 million player option for next season on the last year of his original three-year, $120 million contract to form a duo with Dončić that was also widely questioned when Irving was initially acquired from Brooklyn.” Marc Stein wrote in his substack, “The Stein Line.”
A sentence that does not seem real even seven hours later: Luka Dončić is now a Laker.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 2, 2025
My first inside look at the most shocking trade in NBA history: https://t.co/KX8IBlVHbg
📷: @ClutchPoints pic.twitter.com/uDyY9P114A
The Mavericks acquired Irving in a surprising trade with the Brooklyn Nets on February 6, 2023. His addition significantly improved the team’s performance, ultimately leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season. Even after Doncic’s departure, Stein noted that Irving will remain a valuable asset for the Mavericks
Kyrie Irving Stunned With Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis Trade
The Doncic-Davis trade stands out as one of the most remarkable and unexpected transactions in NBA history. This groundbreaking move marked the first occasion where two reigning All-NBA players exchanged teams during the season. Moreover, it left Doncic’s teammate, Kyrie Irving, utterly astounded.
“Kyrie Irving was also stunned by the Luka-AD trade. I’m told he was doing a training session in Cleveland when he saw the news come across from @ShamsCharania.” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote on Sunday morning.
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Kyrie Irving was also stunned by the Luka-AD trade. I’m told he was doing a training session in Cleveland when he saw the news come across from @ShamsCharania
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 2, 2025
Irving has played 39 games for the Mavericks this season, averaging 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Fans are excited to see how Irving will perform alongside superstar Anthony Davis.
