INGLEWOOD, Calif. — LeBron James has expressed his shock and disbelief following the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent trade involving his longtime friend and teammate, Anthony Davis. After spending over five years alongside Davis, James found it hard to process the move that reshaped the team’s dynamics. However, he is gradually accepting the opportunity to team up with Luka Doncic, a player he greatly admires.
During a post-game conversation on Tuesday night, after scoring 26 points in a significant victory against the Clippers, James shared, “Luka has been my favorite player in the NBA for a while now. I’ve always tried to play the game the right way and inspire the next generation, and Luka happens to be one of them. Now we’re teammates, so it’ll be a very seamless transition.”
Initially, James couldn’t believe the news of the trade when he first heard it while dining with his family in New York. “My emotions were all over the place,” he recalled. He thought it was a prank until he spoke with Davis directly. Despite the call, he felt the reality of the situation only hit him when he observed Doncic at the team’s practice session and watched video clips featuring Davis with the Dallas Mavericks. “That’s when it finally hit me, like, ‘This is real,’” he admitted.
As James, who is enjoying a record-equalling 22nd season in the league, coping with the trade has been challenging, signaling an experience he had never encountered before. “Ain’t never seen this,” he remarked, acknowledging how this trade was unique even by his extensive standards. While he admitted to being shocked initially, James noted his understanding of basketball’s business side as he looks to adapt as the Lakers prepare for life post-Davis.
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, James is committed to ensuring that life in Los Angeles moves forward successfully, asserting, “If I had concerns, I’d have waived my no-trade clause and got up out of here.” He conveyed his desire to support Doncic and team members like Maxi Kleber in adjusting to their new environment. The Slovenian star officially joined the Lakers on the same day, and he eagerly discussed the future with James while observing from the sidelines at the Intuit Dome.
Both JJ Redick and Tyronn Lue, who lead the Lakers’ coaching staff, have voiced confidence in the partnership of James and Doncic. “I’m confident that we can figure out how to blend their talents together in a positive way in a very short amount of time,” Redick stated. While Doncic wasn’t prepared to play in the Lakers’ first matchup after the trade, the buzz around him echoed throughout the arena.
Lue, who guided James during their championship run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, feels optimistic as well, especially despite external doubts regarding the compatibility of two ball-dominant players. “They’ll figure out how to make it work,” Lue expressed. He recalled the successful integration of James with Kyrie Irving and believes a similar approach could be applied with Doncic.
Redick shared a special bond with Doncic and recognized the importance of transitioning to their new player-coach dynamic. “We had a friendship (and) mutual respect,” he noted, looking forward to developing their working relationship moving forward.
James isn’t the only one feeling the emotional impact of the trade; several teammates expressed their sentiments as well. Austin Reaves shared his difficulty, expressing a sense of loss due to strong bonds formed with both Davis and Max Christie, another former teammate now with the Mavericks.
The excitement of Doncic joining the Lakers has reverberated throughout Los Angeles. Anze Kopitar, captain of the Los Angeles Kings, celebrated the move, noting the significance of adding a prominent Slovenian athlete to the city. “He’s obviously a superstar around the world, not just in Slovenia. For our country, being so small, obviously everybody knows him,” he stated, reflecting on the pride that comes from Doncic’s stature in the sports world.
