Luka Doncic Says He 'Didn't Know How to React' After Trade to Lakers from Mavs

Now that the dust has settled on the shocking trade that sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Dončić was able to reflect on his emotions in the moment upon learning of the deal.

Speaking to Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal, Dončić explained he "didn't know how to react" after the trade happened.

"I didn't know how to react, how to act, what to say," Dončić said. "It was a lot of shock. I felt Dallas was my home. I had many friends there. The fans always supported me. I didn't want to upset Dallas fans. And I didn't want to upset Laker fans."

Even now, more than seven months since the trade went down, Dončić told Gay he thinks "it will always be strange" and doesn't know "if someday I will have closure or not."

Dončić has been able to move forward in a way that he is accepting his role as the face of the Lakers. He affirmed his commitment to them by signing a three-year, $165 million extension in August that ties him to Los Angeles through at least the 2027-28 season.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who spoke to Gay about the trade, said Dončić might view the trade "as an opportunity to reset" following what was "probably the first true professional setback of his career."

There does seem to be something to the notion that Dončić wants to redeem himself from a difficult season, at least by his standards. It's no secret that he appears to have dedicated himself to getting in shape in a way that he hasn't before in his NBA career.

The spotlight on the Lakers is always intense, but it will be brighter than ever this season with Dončić and LeBron James playing together for a full season.

Dončić is being positioned as the center of everything in Los Angeles because of his age, but James will always be a huge factor in anything that goes on with the organization.

The Lakers will tipoff the 2025-26 season at home against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21.