Days before the NBA trade deadline, the league witnessed one of the most stunning trades in its history. Luka Doncic was dealt from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Rich Paul, Davis’ agent, recently revealed details that could have altered the course of this monumental deal.
What made the trade even more shocking was how it unfolded. Everything was kept so tightly under wraps that even the two superstar players, Doncic and Davis, were unaware they were the centerpieces of one of the NBA’s biggest trades.
No one outside of Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and Mavericks GM Nico Harrison knew about the deal. Even Paul, one of the most influential agents in the league, was left in the dark. Paul acknowledged that keeping the negotiations secret was the only way such a significant trade could happen.
“99.9% of the time, I’m going to know what’s going on. The one time I didn’t was the one time we all didn’t,” Paul said during an appearance on Gil’s Arena. “So I’m glad I didn’t know. I’m glad whoever else didn’t know because it probably wouldn’t have happened if you did know because now you start to open up the opinions and the can of worms. So you can’t get those things done with people knowing“.
Rich Paul and Anthony Davis attend the Klutch Sports Group All-Star Dinner. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)
Paul wasn’t surprised about Davis’ destination
The Klutch Sports CEO, who also represents LeBron James, said he wasn’t shocked about Davis landing in Dallas, as he’s well aware of Nico Harrison’s admiration for AD. However, Paul admitted that the timing and the fact Doncic was involved caught him off guard.
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“The timing of it was a shock, who it was was a shock, but I’m not shocked that AD’s in Dallas. I’m not shocked about that at all,” Paul admitted via The Smoking Cuban. “I’ve known Nico for 20-plus years, and I know how he felt about AD. So that doesn’t shock me at all. But just like everyone else, the timing of it was a shock, and who he was traded for was also a shock“.
Why the Mavericks traded Doncic
According to The Athletic, Nico Harrison explained his decision to the Mavericks’ players the morning after the trade, right before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Harrison told the bleary-eyed group that the team’s goal remained the same: Win a championship,” the report stated.
The reasoning behind the move was clear: Harrison believed trading for Davis gave Dallas the best chance at winning it all. “Privately and publicly, Harrison has said he moved Doncic for (Anthony) Davis because he felt it gave Dallas the best chance at raising the Larry O’Brien trophy,” the report continued. “Harrison’s belief is that Davis is a better cultural fit for what the Mavericks want to build”.
