The NBA world was hit with a shocking trade late Saturday Night, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Dallas Mavericks are sending superstar guard Luka Doncic and forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for All-Star center Anthony Davis, guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The Utah Jazz are also a part of the deal.
Doncic has developed into one of the most electric players in the NBA since entering the league in 2018, and Dallas’s decision to move on from the face of the franchise has shocked many across the sports world.
The five-time All-Star will now join forces with Lebron James in Los Angeles, giving the franchise a jolt of excitement for the present and future.
Davis was an integral part of the Lakers championship in 2020 and has formed a formidable duo with James. The 2012 No.1 overall pick will now head to the Mavericks and team up with All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
This trade is unprecedented, and it’s hard to compare the deal to trades in the past from other sports. So, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz spoke to an NFL general manager, and the executive gave Schultz a hypothetical NFL trade that perfectly sums up Doncic for Davis. The hypothetical trade package includes Cincinnati Bengals superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
“Imagine the Bengals shipping off Ja’Marr Chase to the Buccaneers for Mike Evans and a second-round pick,” an NFL general manager’s interpretation of the Doncic and Davis deal to Schultz.
The Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade is nearly impossible to translate into NFL terms, but one GM I just spoke with took a fun stab at it:
“Imagine the Bengals shipping off Ja’Marr Chase to the Buccaneers for Mike Evans and a second-round pick.”
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 2, 2025
Obviously, Cincinnati would be foolish to trade away Chase under any circumstances. The 2021 No.5 overall pick is arguably the best receiver in football and just won the triple crown in 2024, posting 127 receptions for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Chase is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and the Bengals should do anything they can to lock down their franchise cornerstone on a long-term deal.
Evans has been the model of consistency since entering the league in 2014. The five-time Pro Bowler has tallied over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his 11 seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
It’s hard to sum up the Doncic to Los Angeles, Davis to Dallas deal, but this anonymous NFL general manager’s made-up football comparison of the trade is pretty spot on.
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