NBA insider Shams Charania recently opened up about the intense moments leading up to his reporting of the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Appearing on The Young Man and the Three, Charania recounted how he first caught wind of the deal late at night after the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks. Preparing for an early flight to Bristol, he received a tip just after 11 p.m. that Los Angeles and Dallas were discussing a trade.
At first, the details were unclear, and Charania had previously heard of a possible deal between the two teams involving different players. He quickly reached out to multiple sources, piecing together the final components of the trade before breaking the story.
“I’m picking all these pieces apart, and I’m like, ‘What’s the trade? Like, what is going on here,’” Charania said, via ClutchPoints. “And by the time I got to the fourth and fifth person, I got all the details of the trade. Made one more call and like, I didn’t even say on that call, I basically was like, ‘Is this f—ing real?’ And the person is like, ‘Yeah. Yeah, it’s real.’”
The deal, finalized on February 2, sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade also involved the Utah Jazz, who received Jalen Hood-Schifino and a pair of second-round picks.
Charania recalled how the moment felt surreal, knowing the significance of the trade. He emphasized the pressure of ensuring every detail was accurate before making it public.
“My hands were shaking,” Charania admitted. “You had to make sure every detail was right. You had to make sure there was no typo, and I just remember my hands were trembling. I didn’t have a graphic to go with it because it was so sudden. You don’t have time to prep for a Luka Doncic graphic beforehand.”
The trade shocked the NBA world, as it was the first time two reigning All-NBA players were exchanged for each other midseason. The Mavericks faced backlash for moving their franchise star, while general manager Nico Harrison defended the decision, stating, “I believe that defense wins championships.”
Doncic himself was reportedly blindsided by the trade, learning about it only after it was finalized. Former NBA player Chandler Parsons later revealed that the 26-year-old had purchased a $15 million house in Dallas just a week before the deal.
Since joining the Lakers, Doncic has played 13 games, averaging 26.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. Los Angeles has surged in the standings, while Dallas has struggled to find consistency in the post-Doncic era.
