The NBA felt a seismic jolt overnight with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz agreeing to one of the biggest blockbuster trades in league history. And it was one that very few – not even Lakers superstar LeBron James – ever saw coming.
The deal was confirmed to USA TODAY Sports by a person familiar with the details, but who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.
The headliners in the package are two of the biggest stars in the game today, with five-time All-Star and reigning NBA scoring champ Luka Dončić going from the Mavs to the Lakers and 10-time All-Star forward Anthony Davis going the other way. Both players are currently sidelined by injuries, but expected to return this month.
Here’s how everything breaks down.
Lakers get G Luka Doncic, F Maxi Kleber, F Markieff Morris
Los Angeles gets a big-time scorer and a much younger player in Dončić to pair with LeBron James.
Dončić, 25, averaged a league-high 33.9 points per game last season in leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. He also finished third in last season’s MVP voting.
He’s averaging 28.1 points a game this season and has been out since Christmas with a strained left calf.
Dončić, who signed a five-year, $215.1 million contract with the Mavs in 2022, is under contract through 2026-27 but is eligible for an extension this summer before he can become a free agent in the summer of 2026.
In the deal, the Lakers will also receive forward Maxi Kleber, an eight-year veteran averaging 3.0 points per game this season, and 35-year-old forward Markieff Morris, who’s only seen action in seven games this season.
Mavericks get F Anthony Davis, G Max Christie, draft pick
Dallas gives up its best player, but receives a tough inside scorer who’s also one of the best defenders in the league.
The 31-year-old Davis, who was just named to his 10th All-Star team, is averaging 25.7 points 11.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game this season, but he hasn’t played since Jan. 28 due to an abdominal strain.
Davis is under contract through 2027-28 at $175.3 million.
This isn’t the first time Davis has been part of a huge three-way trade. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft by the New Orleans Pelicans, Davis was sent to the Lakers in July 2019 in exchange for four players, including guard Lonzo Ball, and three first-round draft picks as part of a deal that also involved the Washington Wizards.
The Mavericks also receive third-year guard Max Christie and a first-round pick from the Lakers.
Jazz get G Jalen Hood-Schifino, draft picks
The Jazz will receive guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who has appeared in only 23 games over two seasons in Los Angeles, plus a 2025 second-round pick from the Lakers and a 2025 second-round pick from the Mavericks.
(This story was updated to add more information.)