It’s been almost a month since the monumental trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, sending Luka Doncic to L.A. and Anthony Davis to Dallas. Yet, the ripple effects still dominate NBA conversations. Recently, Jeanie Buss, owner of the Lakers, offered her perspective on how one of the most high-profile trades in league history went down.
The deal shocked fans and insiders alike due to the secrecy of the negotiations. Even Doncic and Davis were blindsided by the move. Buss emphasized how crucial it was to keep the talks confidential to ensure the deal’s success.
“It was really important to me that we didn’t blow up the team,” Buss said before the Lakers’ win over the Timberwolves, via ESPN. “If it had leaked out and the trade hadn’t happened, that would be really unfair to the progress that the coaching staff had made with the team. Because it’s a huge distraction”.
“The trade deadline is part of the business. It increases the level of stress for everybody,” she added. “And I’m really proud that it didn’t leak out and that we were able to execute the trade in a way that still was surprising to all the parties involved. But that goes with this business”.
Buss reflects on what her father would think of Doncic joining the team
Jerry Buss, the iconic Lakers owner from 1979 until his passing in 2013, left a lasting legacy that Jeanie has carried forward. Ahead of Thursday’s matchup against the Timberwolves, Buss was asked how her father might feel about Luka Doncic joining the Lakers.
“He’d be very proud,” she said. “When you get a player of that stature, you have to give up a lot. But it’s like, my dad was such a great poker player, and he said that he always wanted me to remember that poker was a game of patience”.
“That you had to wait for the right cards, but once you got the cards, you had to go from zero to 100 and play the cards and not be afraid to play them,” she explained. “So it was difficult because we were not looking to trade Anthony Davis or Max Christie. But it was a deal that he would’ve made, and we had to go for it”.
Jeanie Buss on JJ Redick’s coaching gamble
Discussing bold moves, Buss also spoke about the decision to hire JJ Redick as the Lakers’ head coach. While initially hesitant about bringing in a rookie coach, she felt confident in Redick’s ability to collaborate with General Manager Rob Pelinka.
“I was worried about hiring a rookie coach,” Buss admitted. “This team is so important to this community, and to bring in a rookie coach that had no experience before, that was a big leap. But I knew that [Redick and Pelinka] would work well together, and I love watching the progress that they’re making”.