What seemed like a simple Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis swap between the Mavs and Lakers might not have been so straightforward—because, according to some, LeBron was pulling the strings all along. Fox analyst Colin Cowherd didn’t just make this up. He pieced together the chaos in Dallas, from AD’s struggles to Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury, and landed on one conclusion—LeBron saw it coming.
One of the things that LeBron has, and I have never seen anything like it, is intuition… a guy that can see problems before they happen,” Cowherd said. Well, Colin might’ve been correct. Dwight Howard weighed in on the shocking Doncic trade, admitting he was initially surprised—until he remembered who the Lakers had leading the way during the live broadcast of the Lakers vs Magic game.
DH12 credited the Lakers for their smart move—acquiring a player who does “everything on the floor.” The trade sparked plenty of discussion, but Howard’s take reflects a common sentiment—when LeBron is involved, no move is too big to pull off. Now, AD might not have been as blunt as any of the above guys. But ‘The Brow’, not too long after the trade, called bluff on the narrative that nobody knew.
Everybody’s saying nobody knew and all this other s—. I just don’t believe it. But, hey man, I’m past that. I’m ready to move forward with Dallas, try to get a championship there with these guys,” he had said to the Los Angeles Times. Coming back to Dwight, if the 8x All-Star’s words weren’t proof enough, Luka’s own father, Sasa Doncic, might have just given another reason to believe this trade was destined to happen.
Doncic Sr. didn’t just talk about the trade—he made it clear that LA is the perfect place for Luka, both on and off the court.
“Yes, that’s true, but as I heard, celebrities are coming back to games in LA—maybe even because of Luka! He might be the reason why they’re returning. This has to be motivation for him. And we know Luka plays better when the pressure is bigger. I just believe he was born for this city! And this city is made for him! I won’t say literally, but it fits with his character. I believe he’ll succeed there!
While LA’s bright lights and constant distractions have derailed plenty of players, Saša doesn’t see that happening to his son. Instead, he believes the energy of the city will only fuel Luka’s game.
When asked whether Luka and LeBron could go all the way this season, Saša expressed confidence but also kept it realistic. “They showed that they are a very dangerous team if they are healthy! They’ve proven it before. Ok, some minor injuries happened, but I believe this Lakers team can do a lot! When key players return, they can beat anyone. But let’s be honest—the playoffs require some luck too. Injuries to key players can change everything. But I’m sure this Lakers team can go very far.
Between Howard’s comments about LeBron’s influence and Sasa’s belief that his son is exactly where he belongs, the Luka-to-LA storyline is becoming even harder to ignore. But while the trade might have been a dream scenario for the Lakers, it was a gut punch for the Slovenian.
The Mavericks sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers wasn’t just another trade—it was a league-shaking move that left Dallas fans in shock. Their franchise cornerstone was gone, and the team immediately started slipping in the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Lakers took full advantage, climbing the ranks with Dončić leading the charge.
For Luka, it wasn’t just business—it felt like a breakup. He had planned to spend his entire career in Dallas, only to be blindsided by the front office. Making it even worse, reports surfaced that he had just bought a new home in the city when the news dropped. Those close to him described the situation as feeling like he’d been “dumped” by the team he gave everything to.
But heartbreak didn’t slow him down. Since arriving in LA, the 5x All-Star has wasted no time proving why the Lakers made the right move. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, he’s embraced his new team with fresh energy and a renewed drive. And the results? Pure dominance! In just 18 games, he’s averaging 27.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.8 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field.
Dallas may be left wondering what went wrong, but in LA, this trade is already looking like a game-changer. If Doncic keeps this up, the Lakers might just have pulled off one of the biggest steals in NBA history.
