The NBA world was stunned on Saturday night when ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis. It’s arguably the most shocking trade in league history. The NBA is built on these star-studded transactions which always generate buzz and excitement among fans. To put this deal in perspective, let’s look back at 10 times NBA superstars were traded for one another:
Paul Westphal for Dennis Johnson (1980)
Suns receive: Paul Westphal
SuperSonics receive: Dennis Johnson
After both lost to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980 playoffs, the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics decided to trade lead guards the following offseason. Paul Westphal had come off four consecutive All-NBA honors — including three First-Team nods. Future Celtic legend Dennis Johnson made the All-NBA Second-Team during his last year in Seattle. Johnson was only 25 at the time of the trade and had more career ahead of him. He made three more All-Star appearances and won two titles in Boston. Westphal was named an All-Star in his first year with the Sonics and retired as a Sun three years later.
Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond (1998)
Kings receive: Chris Webber
Wizards receive: Mitch Richmond, Otis Thorpe
The trade that ignited the Kings’ run during the early 2000s. Chris Webber was no stranger to moving teams. He was traded on draft night for Penny Hardaway and was sent from the Warriors to the Wizards months after winning Rookie of the Year. By ’98, some thought he’d never live up to his potential as a former No. 1 overall pick. The Kings thought differently and shipped out Mitch Richmond, a five-time All-NBA player, for a 25-year-old Webber. Webber made five All-NBA teams in his first five seasons in Sacramento.
Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury (2001)
Nets receive: Jason Kidd, Chris Dudley
Suns receive: Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman, Soumaila Samake
Two All-Star point guards traded for each other in their primes. For newer fans, this would be like if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was traded for Cade Cunningham. Jason Kidd was already an All-World talent by 2001. From ’99-’01, Kidd led the league in assists each year and was named All-NBA First-Team thrice. Stephon Marbury was a player on the rise. At 23 years old, he was an All-NBA Third-Team selection and one of the most exciting players in the league. While Marbury had some good years in Phoenix, the Nets emphatically won the trade. In his first year with the Nets, Kidd improved their win total by 26 games, finished as the MVP runner-up, and led the team to an NBA Finals. He led them to the Finals again a year later.
Ray Allen for Gary Payton (2003)
SuperSonics receive: Ray Allen, Flip Murray, Kevin Ollie, 2003 FRP (Luke Ridnour)
Bucks receive: Gary Payton, Desmond Mason
In 2003, the Sonics were looking for a spark. The team was struggling, and nine-time All-Star Gary Payton was nearing the end of his prime. Sensing a chance to strike, they traded the Sonic legend for a 27-year-old sharpshooter named Ray Allen. Allen flourished in Seattle, enjoying his best individual years there. He made the All-Star team in each of the four full seasons he was there and led them to a 52-win campaign in 2005. Payton reunited with former coach George Karl in Milwaukee but bolted the following offseason for Los Angeles to join up with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Karl Malone.
Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis (2004)
Rockets receive: Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, Reece Gaines
Magic receive: Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Kelvin Cato
Fed up with losing, star forward Tracy McGrady wanted out of Orlando after the 2004 season. The Magic fulfilled his request, trading him to the Houston Rockets to join Yao Ming. In return, the Rockets sent back their exciting backcourt of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. Francis was just 26 at the time, and a three-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year. The Magic had no idea his career would be over just four years after the trade. McGrady’s time in Houston had some great moments — including a 22-game winning streak during the ’07-’08 season — but the team was never able to get over the hump.
Shaquille O’Neal for Shawn Marion (2008)
Suns receive: Shaquille O’Neal
Heat receive: Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks
A trade that effectively ended two eras. The Heat made it to the mountaintop in 2006 just two years after acquiring Shaquille O’Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers. Two years after the title, Heat executive Pat Riley was ready to ship O’Neal out. Out West, the Phoenix Suns were reinventing basketball on the offensive end but continuously coming up short in the postseason. They felt a low-post presence like O’Neal could bring some balance to their attack. It didn’t work out well for either team. O’Neal was aging and forced Phoenix out of their up-tempo identity. Marion spent 58 games in Miami before being traded to Toronto. He settled in Dallas a couple of years later and helped them win an NBA title in 2011.
Luka Dončić for Trae Young (2018)
Mavericks receive: Luka Dončić
Hawks receive: Trae Young, 2019 FRP (Cam Reddish)
The first of two mega deals including Luka Dončić. In one of the more memorable draft-day trades in recent memory, the Hawks and Mavericks swapped spots and selected two future All-Star point guards. The Hawks held the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Commissioner Adam Silver announced Atlanta was selecting a 19-year-old from Slovenia, Luka Dončić. However, a deal was already in place with Dallas who held the No. 5 pick.
Both players looked great early on, but it was Trae Young who took the early lead by guiding the Hawks to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in his third season. Dončić quickly recaptured the advantage by leading Dallas to the Western Conference Finals a year later. The Mavericks clearly ended up with the better player on draft night, but can the Hawks safely say they won the trade now that Doncic is in LA?
Kawhi Leonard for DeMar DeRozan (2018)
Raptors receive: Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green
Spurs receive: DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Pöltl, 2019 FRP (Keldon Johnson)
A trade that shifted a championship. The Raptors in the 2010s were a good team that could never break through in the Eastern Conference. With LeBron James moving out West, Toronto sensed an opportunity to strike. Kawhi Leonard had grown frustrated in San Antonio and wanted out. The Raptors shipped out a beloved Raptor (and three-time All-NBA selection) in DeMar DeRozan to complete the deal. It paid off. Leonard led the Raptors to an NBA title and won Finals MVP. He left for the Clippers weeks later, but the Raptors should have zero regrets in making a deal that delivered their only title in franchise history.
Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul (2019)
Rockets receive: Russell Westbrook
Thunder receive: Chris Paul, 4 FRP’s
A week before this trade went down, the Thunder dealt Paul George to the Clippers for a massive haul. Of course, that deal netted Oklahoma City a 21-year-old future MVP candidate named Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. At the time, nobody knew Gilgeous-Alexander would become one of the league’s top players.
However, the NBA world understood the magnitude of a Westbrook-for-Paul swap. Westbrook was just two years removed from winning league MVP and coming off three straight years of averaging a triple-double. Paul was the savviest point guard in the NBA and nearly helped the Rockets topple a juggernaut Warrior team. Houston ended up defeating Oklahoma City in the playoffs that season in seven games. However, the Harden-Westbrook pairing never worked out. The Thunder got a good season out of Paul who helped develop OKC’s young players. They also got four picks out of the deal, most recently using a 2024 selection on guard Nikola Topić.
Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis (2025)
Lakers receive: Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
Mavericks receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 FRP
Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2 SRP’s
That all leads us to the trade that shook the NBA world in 2025. In an absolute stunner, the Dallas Mavericks shipped 25-year-old superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick. Two top-10 players in the game today traded for each other.
Dončić is on a legendary path, having already been selected to the All-NBA First-Team five times in six career seasons. He’ll join forces with arguably the game’s greatest ever, LeBron James. Dončić led the Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance last season.
Davis is a former NBA champion, one of the league’s best defenders, and was named to the NBA 75 (honoring the 75 best players of all-time) in 2022. His two-way ability will make an instant impact on a Mavericks team that believes they can make some noise in the postseason.
In terms of the shock factor, this trade takes the cake. Nobody saw it coming, and the deal was put together without any leaks. The Mavericks opted to part ways with an offensive superstar who has yet to enter his prime. The Lakers, once again, found their future franchise cornerstone. Outside of Davis leading his new team to multiple championships, it’s difficult to see this deal working out for the Mavericks.
