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Dave McMenamin
NEW YORK — In a blockbuster trade that figures to impact the Western Conference balance of power for years to come, the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz agreed to a three-team deal that will swap Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
L.A. will receive Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Mavericks, sources said. Dallas will receive Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first round pick.
The Jazz will receive Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Clippers’ 2025 second round pick and the Mavs’ 2025 second round pick.
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Mavs general manager Nico Harrison told ESPN, explaining his motivation to deal Doncic for Davis. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Lakers superstar LeBron James learned of the trade when it broke while he was out to dinner with his family after Saturday’s win against the New York Knicks, sources close to James told ESPN. James was surprised by the news, is processing it and had no idea it was in the works, sources said.
The Mavericks were motivated to move Doncic due to his constant conditioning concerns, sources told ESPN. There had been significant frustration within the organization about Doncic’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered a major factor in his injury issues.
Doncic has been limited to only 22 games this season due to a variety of injuries. He has twice strained his left calf since reporting back to Dallas before training camp in late September, although the Mavs only reported the fall injury as a calf contusion, sources said. Doncic has not played since straining his calf on Christmas.
While Doncic was relatively svelte by his standards when he reported to camp, his weight ballooned to the high 260s early this season, sources said. He sat out five games in late November, when the Mavs listed him with a sprained right wrist, an extended absence to allow Doncic to focus on his conditioning. He had a similar early-season layoff in the 2022-23 season.
Doncic was in line to receive a five-year, $345 million contract this summer.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon contributed to this report.
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