After the Los Angeles Lakers’ dominant victory over the LA Clippers on Tuesday, LeBron James was asked for the first time about the blockbuster trade that brought Luka Doncic to the Lakers. James admitted his reaction to the trade was similar to the surprise and confusion many others felt when he first heard about it – especially considering Anthony Davis had been traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
“My emotions were all over the place, obviously,” James explained. “We had just come off a big win. A huge win in the Garden. I was out. I mean, you guys have seen the report. I was out with my family at dinner and got the news, and the first time I heard it, I thought it was for sure fake. I thought it was a hoax, people messing around or whatever. But then when AD called me, AD FaceTimed me and I talked to him for quite a while, and even when I got off the phone with him, it still didn’t seem real.”
James admitted that the reality of the trade didn’t fully hit him until he saw both Doncic and Davis playing with their new teams on Tuesday. Despite the whirlwind of emotions, the Lakers star made sure to affirm his loyalty to his current team.
“If I had concerns about it, I’d waive my no-trade clause and get up out of here,” James stated, reinforcing his commitment to the Lakers. “I’m here right now. I’m here right now. I’m committed to the Lakers organization.”
As the leader and one of the team captains, James emphasized his responsibility to help integrate the new players into the team. “As the leader of the team, as one of the captains of the team, it’s my job to make it as seamless as possible (for the new acquisitions),” he added.
LeBron James Thought Trade Was 'A Hoax'; Affirmed Commitment To Lakers https://t.co/OR8kyXQaeW
— RealGM (@RealGM) February 5, 2025
