"Never had a player come to the Lakers & be as sad" - Longtime Lakers owner Jeanie Buss reveals Luka Doncic embracing LA after initial discomfort

Luka Doncic Trains With Slovenia Basketball Team Ahead Of The FIBA EuroBasket 2025. - Source: Getty
"Never had a player come to the Lakers & be as sad" - Longtime Lakers owner Jeanie Buss [2nd-R] reveals Luka Doncic [C] embracing LA after initial discomfort. [photo: Getty]

The Luka Doncic trade to the LA Lakers for Anthony Davis in early February shocked the basketball world. NBA insider Shams Charania, who broke the news, reported that Doncic was “stunned” when informed about the deal. Charania added that the agreement happened in the "shadows," a strategy that highlighted the secrecy.

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Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ former longtime controlling owner, opened up about the shocking trade Friday on Slovenian radio:

“Nobody knew. It was a secret. Nobody knew the trade was gonna happen. I knew, but [Doncic] didn’t know. I’ve never had a player come to the Lakers and be as sad as he was because the trade was a huge surprise to him.”
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When the LA Lakers introduced Luka Doncic, the Slovenian echoed a similar refrain from fans and basketball analysts. Doncic said that he was “shocked” after thinking he would end his career with the Dallas Mavericks. The perennial MVP contender added that he thought somebody played an April Fool’s Day joke to cause chaos.

Every NBA analyst expressed disbelief in the trade. Doncic just led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics. The Mavericks touted him as the “Pravi MVP” or the “real MVP” during the second half of the 2023-24 season. Eight months later, the Mavs GM Nico Harrison, shipped him to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis.

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Eventually, Luka Doncic embraced his new team and the fan base that eagerly anticipated his arrival. Although the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Doncic’s presence has given their fans reason to hope for a better future.


Jeanie Buss and Lakers signed Luka Doncic to a three-year, $165 million extension

The LA Lakers celebrated Luka Doncic’s arrival, but there were still questions about his future. Doncic had a $48.9 million player option after the 2025-26 season, making the Lakers jittery following the blockbuster deal.

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The Slovenian showed his commitment to the franchise by agreeing to a three-year, $165 million deal early this month. He is under contract until the 2027-28 season before a $57.8 million player option arrives in the summer of 2028.

Luka Doncic said after signing the extension that it was an “honor” to play for the Lakers, a monumental shift from his emotions following the trade. More than his words, Doncic promptly started working on his conditioning, bringing a leaner physique to the 2025 EuroBasket. Doncic is all-in on the Lakers, a situation Jeanie Buss confirmed in the interview with Slovenian radio.

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Edited by Michael Macasero
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