Ahead of the NBA trade deadline, one of the most shocking trades of all time occurred. Out of nowhere, Luka Doncic was shipped to the Los Angeles Lakers with Anthony Davis heading back to the Dallas Mavericks.
Plenty of other pieces were involved, but the two superstars being swapped for each other blew the minds of every NBA fan.
When Shams Charania originally reported the deal, people thought he had been hacked. As the dust settled, it was clear that the deal was real and Doncic was headed to team up with LeBron James on the Lakers.
Since the trade, Doncic has been able to acclimate to life in Los Angeles. It has not been an easy process, but he has been able to weather the storm well.
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He made his first return back to Dallas to take on the Mavericks back on April 9. In that game, he scored 45 points to go along with eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals, while shooting 16-for-28 from the floor and 7-for-10 from three-point range.
Immediately after the trade, Doncic was just as shocked as anyone else. He had a violent first reaction to the deal going down.
During an interview with Malika Andrews, Doncic revealed that he shattered his phone immediately after finding out about the trade.
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All Doncic had ever known was the city of Dallas. He was acquired on draft night by the Mavericks and had become one of the best players in the NBA with the team. There was no sign that a trade was coming either.
In the 28 games he has played with the Lakers since the shocking blockbuster, Doncic averaged 28.2 points per game to go along with 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals. He has also shot 43.8 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from the three-point arc.
At just 26 years old, there is a good chance that Doncic will be the face of the proud Los Angeles franchise for many years to come. He has found a new home, although it has come at the cost of a lot of emotional stress.
On Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET, Doncic will lead his Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs first-round series.
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