Austin Reaves initially thought someone hacked the internet when news broke that Luka Doncic was headed to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Reaves described the moment he saw the trade notification, saying, “First thing, I was like, ‘Oh this is [false]. He got hacked.'”
The blockbuster February 2 trade sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
Los Angeles also shipped Jalen Hood-Schifino and a second-rounder to Utah, finalizing a three-team deal that stunned the league and altered both conferences’ postseason landscapes.
Shortly after the news broke, Reaves said his phone was flooded with messages from teammates reacting in real time.
“The group message started going crazy,” he said, adding that Davis himself texted the team chat saying, “‘They traded me.’
Reaves assumed it was a joke, noting, “AD is bulls—-ing with us. He’s a kid at heart, had his fun. He literally has a prank TV show.”
However, the tone shifted once Lakers assistant Beau Levesque chimed in with a cryptic message.
Levesque texted just two words — “Bro …” — prompting Reaves to call him immediately for clarification.
Reaves recalled his disbelief during the call, asking, “This ain’t real?”
Levesque responded, “Umm … I think it’s real. I’m sitting right by Max,” referring to Christie, who was part of the trade package.
At the time, the Lakers had just played the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and the deal was finalized before the team buses left the arena.
The transaction was unprecedented in midseason NBA history, marking the first time two active All-NBA players — Doncic and Davis — were traded for one another during a campaign.
Doncic, 26, reportedly wasn’t informed of the trade until after it was complete, according to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.
The Slovenian guard has since adjusted to life in Los Angeles, averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 35.4 minutes per game.
The Purple and Gold have gone 20-11 since Doncic’s arrival and now sit third in the Western Conference at 48-30, behind Oklahoma City and Houston.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are in a much different position, clinging to the final Play-In spot in the West with a 38-41 record.
With Doncic now leading the offense and LeBron James still performing at an elite level, Los Angeles is positioning itself as a serious contender in the West.
The Lakers face Oklahoma City on April 8 with a chance to clinch both a playoff berth and the Pacific Division title.
If they win, and both the Clippers and Suns lose, the division crown returns to the Lakers for the first time since 2020.
