Melissa Rohlin
Fox Sports NBA writer
Even LeBron James saw it coming?
In the midst of news so surprising that she rocked the world of the NBA, leaving the League superstars running on their social media to wonder publicly if it was true, one of the most shocking dishes was that He involved James but had been done without his knowledge.
The Los Angeles Lakers send Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first -round choice to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Utah Jazz is also involved in the three -team agreement, acquiring choices by Schifino Jalen Hood and second round of the Lakers (their choice in 2025 in the Clippers) and the Mavericks.
James was apparently in the dark about this case. In fact, according to ESPN, he was dinner with his family after the Lakers 128-112 victory against New York Knicks on Saturday when he learned the news for the first time.
It in itself is beautiful.
Since he joined the Lakers in 2018, James has learned his hand on everything in the organization. He recruited Davis, with whom he played for six seasons and won a championship alongside in 2020. He played a big role in the Lakers breaking their title winning team to acquire Russell Westbrook in 2021.
When this experience failed, he made his dissatisfaction limpid, publicly pushing the director general of Lakers, Rob Pelinka, to take a step. Pelinka then treated Westbrook and acquire six new players before the 2023 commercial deadline on the way to the team reaching the Western Conference final this season.
Even in front this season, with James at the dawn of the 40 years, he was still clearly in control. After the Lakers coach Darvin Ham was dismissed after the elimination of Lakers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, the team hired JJ Redick, James’ Podcast partner on “Mind the Game”. James even orchestrated the first father-son duo in the history of the NBA, encouraging the Lakers to acquire Bronny James with the 55th choice in the 2024 draft.
So, to make such a large movement without James says a lot.
The Mavericks would have contacted the Lakers about the agreement, fed up with Dončić deficits on the defensive and its problems related to being in shape before it is ready for a Supermax contract extension this summer.
It was too good for Lakers to pass.
How could the Lakers refuse Dončić, who created the 17 champions of 17 times for the post-Lebron James era with a young superstar who could be the next face of the team? Dončić, aged 25, led the Mavericks in the final last season and was a lasting competitor for the MVP Prize.
As for the Mavericks, their thought was clear. While separating with one of the best young players in the League is a company in the head, Davis gives the Mavericks a superstar with a defensive spirit who knows what it takes to be a champion.
For Lakers, it was an investment in their future. For the Mavericks, it was a winning decision.
But for James, it was something different.
It is the face of the league. He is the top scorer in the history of the NBA. He is quadruple champion and quadruple MVP. Depending on the corner of the hairstyle you prefer, it is either the greatest player of all time – or second, behind Michael Jordan. His power and scope are unprecedented, which has led him to call shots wherever he has been for decades.
For the Lakers to do this move without showing that they were ready to bother him. They were ready to break a long -standing rule in the NBA: James is king. With this movement, they showed that they are in charge. Whether reprimanded for not having shown the required respect or praised for having prioritized their future is another question.
In relation: LeBron James breaks the silence on the trade of Anthony Davis
Of course, the break between James and the Lakers is around the corner. James recently thought about retirement, clearly indicating that he will not play “until the wheels fall” and probably only left. But the Lakers are those who have taken the first step to individualize, breaking with their long -standing tradition of postponement to their greatest superstars.
The big question is whether the acquisition of the mid-season of Dončić can make them real competitors of the championship, which they owe James in the middle of his unprecedented level of play in his 22nd season.
It is doubtful.
It will be a huge adjustment for a team of Lakers found in fifth place in the West Conference and has won eight of its last 10 games. This breaks their continuity, to say the least. This also aggravates their already flagrant holes around the center, although they still have time to remedy this before the commercial deadline of February 6.
It is a decision for their future. They are looking for Dončić to resume the stick. The franchise known for its impressive story of superstars has added its new fascinating dressing.
It is interesting to think about what James would have said if he had been consulted.
James and Davis were close. Over the years, they were chatting after the games, discussed the NFL or the bottle of wine which they provided for at the opening. They would throw each other. They would go to the houses of the other for dinners. James taught Davis to be a winner. He instilled in him the importance of having a short memory when Davis would put himself on himself after lower performance. In recent years, James have clearly said that Lakers have been Davis’ team.
But James also stressed that he was not part of the front office. When searching for Lakers coaching, he said he wanted them to prioritize the organization’s long -term health to appease it. For years, he said he wanted to focus on basketball, not on staff decisions.
However, the Lakers were accused of being James puppets. And James’ fingerprints were everywhere in their decisions.
But apparently, this is no longer true.
So, yes, the movement itself was shocking. (So much so that the NBA superstars went to social networks to let off steam, including the writing of Joel Embiid from Philadelphia 76ers, “wowwwwww no F Way” and Tyrese Halubst de l’In Indiana Pacers wondering if the Scorer (Sham Charania d’Espn) was compromised: “Shams was hacked (ESPN ESPN).”
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But also shocking is that this decision was made without James’ consent.
For Lakers, this is a new era.
In more ways than one.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for Fox Sports. It previously covered the League for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Once, the information group in the Bay region and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow it on Twitter @Melissarohlin.
LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers
National Basketball Association
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