NBA GM: Lakers 'Annihilated' Trade Deadline with Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis Deal

It's safe to say rival NBA teams are impressed the Los Angeles Lakers were able to acquire Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 trade deadline.

"Did the Lakers win the deadline? The Lakers annihilated the deadline," one general manager told ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

A Western Conference executive meanwhile told ESPN's Tim Bontemps: "He isn't in shape yet and he's already making Jaxson Hayes look better. You can see the plan moving forward."

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison shocked the NBA world when ESPN's Shams Charania reported their under-the-radar deal to swap Dončić and Anthony Davis late on Feb. 1.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon initially described executives as "furious and jealous" about the trade. Other NBA teams reportedly were not aware the Mavericks were considering dealing their 25-year-old star until Dončić had already been dealt.

Dončić, who was sidelined for his last 22 games with the Mavericks after suffering a left calf injury on Christmas Day, has been slowly increasing his minutes since his Lakers debut on Feb. 10.

He is still working his way back to his typical accuracy while shooting .365 from the field and .224 from deep. Despite those numbers he has recorded 32 points against the Denver Nuggets and posted a triple-double against the Mavericks over the last week alone.

The acquisition of Dončić alongside a failed deal for Mark Williams has meanwhile increased the importance of Hayes' role as a lob threat for the Lakers' newest star.

Despite the Lakers' move to acquire Williams from the Charlotte Hornets falling through over the disputed results of Williams' physical, pairing Dončić with James has been enough to make Pelinka's trade deadline a success so far.

The Dončić trade looks even better for the Lakers in light of Davis' injury status. The former Lakers star suffered an adductor strain in his Feb. 8 Mavericks debut and has yet to return.