‘Shams gotta be hacked:’ Bewildered NBA players react to shocking Doncic-Davis trade

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MANILA, Philippines – The basketball world was stunned on Sunday, February 2 (Manila time), as the Dallas Mavericks shipped their young superstar, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. 

The unexpected trade ended Doncic’s run with the Mavericks, who traded for him on draft day in 2018, and punctuated Davis’ tenure with the Lakers, where he won his only NBA title. 

The trade was so out of the blue that even ESPN insider Shams Charania, who broke the news on X, had to reassure fans about its authenticity as he reported the full trade details.

Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade:

– Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris

– Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st

– Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd https://t.co/bltojdTaQj

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025

With a trade of this magnitude, everybody in the NBA sphere was caught off guard, including some NBA stars, who had to take time to process everything that happened. 

One of the first players to post their reaction was OKC Thunder’s Alex Caruso, who played alongside Davis with the Lakers in their 2020 NBA title run, Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton, and New Orleans Pelicans’ CJ McCollum, thinking it was just a social media troll job.

“Nah shams gotta be hacked 💀,” Caruso wrote. 

“Shams got hacked?,” Haliburton said.

“I can’t tell what’s real and fake anymore on these apps. Luka really going to the lakers or nah?,” McCollum posted. 

I can’t tell what’s real and fake anymore on these apps. Luka really going to the lakers or nah ?

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 2, 2025

Just like Caruso, Haliburton, and McCollum, other players like Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro, Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, and New York Knicks’ Josh Hart were in disbelief following the trade report. 

“wtf ?????,” Herro wrote. 

“HUH!!!!,” Maxey said.

“Huh?????,” Hart posted.

Former NBA Most Valuable Players Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Joel Embiid of the 76ers also went to social media to express their shock.

“🥶🌎,” Giannis posted. 

“WOWWWWW NO F WAY,” Embiid wrote. 

Doncic’s former teammate and Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki was also left speechless about the trade, posting just an emoji to show his reaction. 

“😳,” Nowitzki posted. 

Following the trade report, speculations also came rampant as fans tried to decipher why the Mavericks, whose squad made the NBA Finals last year led by Doncic, traded their 25-year-old superstar for the 31-year-old Davis. 

While some rumors were reasonable, others were utter sham, prompting Lakers star LeBron James to clear the air on his rumored frustration about now-former teammate Davis. 

“You a fkn lie!!! 🤥🤡,” James wrote on X as he called out a CBS Sports reporter who said he had grown frustrated with Davis. 

As of writing, the X post is the only statement James has provided about the trade. 

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon wrote that the Mavs had concerns regarding Doncic’s conditioning, along with an upcoming contract extension, providing some possible context as to why the team had traded a player that had become the face of the franchise after the Nowitzki era.

The Mavs had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 2, 2025

The Lakers are currently fifth in the Western Conference with a 28-19 win-loss record, while the Mavericks sit at eighth with a 26-23 record. 

Nursing a calf injury, Doncic has played only 22 games this season, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 steals per game for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Davis, who also had injury concerns throughout his career, has been norming 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game for the Lakers. 

The Lakers and the Mavericks will face off for the first time after the trade on February 26 (Manila time). – Rappler.com