LeBron James had no idea that Luka Doncic was going to get traded to the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers made one of the most shocking moves in sports history when they traded for Luka Doncic.

This trade caught basically everyone in the sports world by surprise, but perhaps most surprising is that LeBron James reportedly did not even see this move coming.

James, who many assume is pulling the strings for his team, apparently had no idea that such a move was coming. Following a victory against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, the four-time NBA MVP was informed about the trade.

LeBron James learned of the Davis-Doncic trade after the Knicks game when it broke while he was out to dinner with his family, sources close to James told ESPN. James was surprised by the news, is processing it and had no idea it was in the works, sources said.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 2, 2025

James is reportedly still “processing” the transaction and had “no idea” anything was in the works.

According to Shams Charania, meanwhile, Davis was also surprised by the move. Doncic, too, is still working through his shock as well.

“This deal materialized in the shadows … LeBron James had no idea this was coming. Anthony Davis had no idea this was coming. I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.”@ShamsCharania on the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade between the Lakers and Mavericks pic.twitter.com/Hp4bL3UX2M

— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2025

This is a genuinely league-changing move that will change the course of franchise history for both the Lakers and the Mavericks, but it wasn’t made because of James.

In fact, it sounds like James had almost nothing to do with the decision-making process.