
USA Today via Reuters
Image Credits: USA Today Network via IMAGN

USA Today via Reuters
Image Credits: USA Today Network via IMAGN
On Saturday, Luka Doncic’s trade to the Lakers sent ripples across the NBA community. It was not only that the move was shocking in itself, but its secrecy left everyone from Steph Curry to three-peat chasing Patrick Mahomes stunned. The trade involved top-level secret negotiations with only Mavericks executive Nico Harrison and Lakers executive Rob Pelinka being the major players in the deal until the very last moment. Luka Donic and Anthony Davis, two of the players involved in the blockbuster deal were also unaware of what was happening while the CEO of Utah Jazz, the third team that played a role in this seismic shift, was given a 30-minute notice that Doncic would be moving to the Lakers, before the news was revealed.
The prospect of seeing Doncic team up with LeBron James has got the Lakers Nation excited but the move has also come with a pinch of skepticism around the Solveinian’s conditioning and weight issues. Reportedly, the Dallas front office was growing “frustrated” with Doncic’s conditioning, and that his weight “ballooned into the high 260s this season.” This could explain why Dallas decided to go for a trade.
Lakers legends, James Worthy and Magic Johnson have also fired warnings about Doncic’s conditioning as the Los Angeles-based franchise hopes the hype lives up to its billing. Another person who reacted to the move with his own take was Doncic’s former Dallas teammate Kristaps Prozingis.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Pronzingis and Doncic were on the opposing ends as the Celtics overcame the Mavs in the NBA Finals last season to lift their 18th championship. He was left surprised by the news of this trade and at first, even thought that it was him who got traded when a fan broke the news to him.
Calling the move “the craziest trade in NBA history,” Pronzingis opened up about how Doncic can overcome his fitness issues in Los Angeles and how the move is beneficial to him. “LeBron’s a big fan of Luka and Luka has obviously played a lot of basketball in his career, but he’s still only 25 years old. So I think the main thing for him is he’ll be able to learn a lot from LeBron. That could really benefit his career, and there’s somebody that, how he takes care of his body, the length of his career and all this, I think there’s a lot of things he’ll be able to learn if he wants to.”
At 40, LeBron James has been the benchmark of fitness and longevity in the league. James’ workouts include cardio warm-ups, running on a football field, and using the VersaClimber. He also employs strength training exercises which include inverted rows, landmine rotational presses, lunges, and core work. He also works in high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which helps him to maximize his strength and endurance.
On top of this, James also follows a strict diet routine. High-protein foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins while avoiding fried foods, artificial sugars, and processed foods are what keep him healthy and add to his endurance on the court. Doncic, who has been out of action since suffering a calf injury on Christmas Day, could indeed learn a lot from his new teammate.
Doncic has been hit by weight issues at Mavs since 2020, when he returned to training and was noticeably heavier. Then in 2021, TNT commentator Reggie Miller pointed out, “This is the heaviest I’ve probably ever seen Luka look, right now,” during a Mavs game on the network.
The Slovenian star returned with a better physique for the 2023/24 season leading the Mavs to the Western Conference title, but this season has been a step backward for him. He has played in only 22 games this season and in November, the Mavs gave him time off to get back in shape and lose weight as he recovered from a right wrist sprain.
Meanwhile, Porzingis wasn’t the only one who talked about Doncic learning from James.
Doncic remains a player fully capable of turning around the Lakers’ fortunes. Last season, he averaged an NBA-best 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists and finished third in the MVP race. His move had even Magic Johnson excited. The Lakers legend shared his excitement in a series of tweets as Doncic officially became a Laker, saying that Doncic “will definitely make the Lakers a championship-contending team.” However, his optimism also came with caution.
“LeBron James will be a positive influence on Luka. Teaching him his championship mentality that includes taking his conditioning seriously,” Johnson wrote.
The shock trade move shook the sports world. Steph Curry expressed his surprise at the move due to, “Just kind of how out of the blue it was without any type of hint or rumor or any kind of sign.” Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes also had a hard time believing that it was actually happening. His initial reaction on social media was, “Wait what?” followed by an admission of his shock, stating, “I’m sick rn….”
If Doncic is looking for inspiration and prove the Mavs were wrong about moving him on from Dallas, he should look no further than Porzingis. The Latvian center was traded to the Wizards by the Mavs at the 2022 trade deadline. Last season, he won the NBA Championship with the Celtics against the Mavs.
With Doncic now part of the Lakers in what can be described as a statement move, there were going to reactions incoming from their fierce rivals.
Joe Mazzulla brushed off questions related to the trade. At the pregame podium, he said, “Don’t ask about the trade. I really don’t care.” But his players cared. Early Sunday, when the news broke that Luka was on the move to the Lakers, in a three-team deal that also brought Anthony Davis to Dallas, a few Celtics player shared their reaction.
NEW STORY: Kristaps Porzingis said he was speechless to hear about the Mavericks trade. He believes it’s “the craziest trade in NBA history.”
He also thinks his old teammate Luka Doncic could benefit from playing alongside LeBron.
“That could really benefit his career, and…
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) February 3, 2025
Porzingis was shocked, but his teammate Jaylen Brown? Unfazed. “Um, I wasn’t shocked, I wasn’t shocked. Um, maybe a little bit,” Brown admitted. “But you know the NBA is NBA. You know behind closed doors, you don’t know what’s going on. People fall out, you know. People don’t see eye to eye, people have disagreements. For whatever, you know, reasons, Dallas and LA, they had their own timelines that they’re looking into. The Lakers probably wanted to secure their future and, uh, Dallas probably wanted to win now.”
Al Horford didn’t mince words when reacting to the trade, putting it up there with LeBron James’ infamous move to Miami. “One of the bigger moves in NBA history,” he said, still wrapping his head around it. The shock factor was undeniable. “We were just in disbelief. We didn’t think it was real. Surprising or not, you’re not used to seeing something like that,” he admitted. “I really don’t understand it. I think we’re all kind of looking for those answers right now.”
Jayson Tatum also expressed his surprise at the move, given how Doncic led the Mavs to the NBA Finals only last season. “Didn’t expect it. I’m certain most of us (didn’t). So, it was shocking news to me,” he said.
As for how this blockbuster move might shake up Celtics matchups? Horford wasn’t losing sleep over that. Well, the Celtics contained him in the finals and his poor defensive performance in the finals series might have something prompted Dallas to take action.
Boston might’ve contributed to Dallas moving on from Luka Doncic
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison didn’t sugarcoat it when explaining why they moved on from Luka Doncic. “I believe that defense wins championships,” he told ESPN. “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” (via ESPN). Translation? No matter how elite Luka was offensively, his defense was a glaring weakness.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
And if anyone proved that, it was the Celtics. They put him through the wringer in the Finals, exposing his defensive flaws for the entire world to see. That defeat likely pushed Dallas to shake things up, bringing in AD to anchor their defense.
With scorers like Kyrie and Klay Thompson, the Mavs are betting they can make up for Luka’s offensive absence. But let’s be real—Luka was the offense. Without him orchestrating, will this experiment even work?

USA Today via Reuters
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
In the end, Boston didn’t just win a championship—they might’ve forced Dallas to hit the reset button entirely. Another team, another era, checked off their list.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Have something to say?
Let the world know your perspective.
ADVERTISEMENT
Debate
Did the Celtics' defense expose Luka Doncic, forcing the Mavericks to trade him to the Lakers?
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
What’s your perspective on:
Did the Celtics' defense expose Luka Doncic, forcing the Mavericks to trade him to the Lakers?
Have an interesting take?