When the Lakers traded for Luka Dončić in the wee hours of Feb. 2, the immediate thought was that it was a fake report. After a few minutes and confirmation, reality set in, and the next immediate question that swirled in the wake of perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history was why would the Dallas Mavericks trade Dončić?

NBA superstar Luka Dončić told his manager, Lara Beth Seager, after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 season ended that all he wanted to do this offseason was “train.” The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games despite having Dončić and LeBron James.