The Los Angeles Lakers stunned the NBA by acquiring Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks, sending Anthony Davis in return. The deal remained a secret from nearly everyone, including the players themselves. However, in an unexpected way, the Golden State Warriors played a role in making it happen.
The secrecy of the trade was crucial to its success. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, the fact that no agents, players, or team officials outside the key decision-makers were aware of the discussions prevented any interference. Shelburne elaborated on this during an episode of The Hoop Collective.
A major reason why Mavericks GM Nico Harrison and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka kept the deal under wraps stemmed from the Warriors’ mistake in handling a similar situation just a year ago.
Warriors’ LeBron James Trade Leak Influenced Doncic Deal’s Secrecy
Shelburne and MacMahon referenced the failed trade talks between the Warriors and Lakers last season regarding a potential deal for LeBron James. Those discussions collapsed quickly due to the involvement of James’ agent, Rich Paul.
“Pelinka and the Lakers understood,” Shelburne and MacMahon wrote. “Nothing could leak. Not a breath of it. They’d learned the same lesson many times throughout their recent history with blockbuster trades… last year’s mind-boggling owner-to-owner discussions about trading James to the Golden State Warriors, which were ultimately shut down by James’ agent, Rich Paul.”
While the idea of James joining the Warriors may have seemed improbable, legitimate conversations took place before Paul intervened and shut them down. Had the Doncic deal leaked beyond Harrison, Pelinka, and team owners, someone could have similarly derailed the trade.
Pelinka took that lesson to heart, and Harrison recognized the importance of secrecy as well. Though both likely would have opted for discretion regardless, the failed Warriors-James talks reinforced the need for absolute confidentiality in the Doncic trade.
The Warriors weren’t directly involved in Doncic’s move to the Lakers, but their past misstep in handling trade negotiations undoubtedly influenced how the Mavericks and Lakers approached this deal.
Now, Golden State doesn’t have LeBron James—but James has Luka Doncic.
