Photo Credit: Luka Doncic/Facebook
It’s a trade still being discussed and dissected.
I woke up this past Sunday morning to a couple of texts from fellow sports media members expressing their disbelief.
Did it really happen?
It did.
The Dallas Mavericks sent their best player, and one of the top-five players in the NBA, Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for another top-tier player in Anthony Davis and a number of other players and picks.
Since then every so-called basketball expert and pundit, and even Doncic’s father, has weighed in what many are calling the league’s biggest trade.
“I understand there comes a moment when you disagree with a certain philosophy,” Sasa Doncic said in an interview in his native Slovenia.
“You don’t like this or that player, all good – I get it. But I think that exactly this secrecy, or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy, this hurts me personally. Because I think that Luka absolutely doesn’t deserve this.”
As for Doncic himself, the 25-year old posted this on social media.
“I thought I’d spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship, The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home.”
Reports suggest the Dallas brass didn’t like Doncic’s conditioning, or lack thereof.
From the Lakers perspective, speculation around Lebron James’ opinion of Davis suggested the LA superstar was frustrated with his teammate, but James’ vehemently denied the report.
This reporter immediately thought of the Wayne Gretzky to the LA Kings deal back in 1988.
So it got me thinking, how does the Doncic/Davis deal compare to sports trades from the past.
Many people don’t know, or had forgotten, that Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees by the Boston Red Sox.
The sale in 1919 is perhaps the most famous trade in sports history. Ruth’s transfer for $125,000 and a $300,000 loan (secured by a mortgage on Fenway Park) began the “Curse of the Bambino,” a championship drought that haunted the Red Sox for 86 years. Meanwhile, Ruth helped the Yankees become one of the most successful franchises in sports, changing the course of baseball history.
It was the start of the Yankees being called the ‘Evil Empire,’ because of their spending and winning ways.
Much like the Babe Ruth trade lifted the Yankees to success, so can be said for Bill Russell arriving in Boston with the Celtics.
Before Russell played a single game in the NBA, he was traded from the St. Louis Hawks to Boston where he would go on to lead the Celtics to 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons, becoming one of the most decorated athletes in sports history and transforming the Celtics into a dynasty.
How about this for a sheer number of players being dealt in a trade.
Herschel Walker, from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikings in 1989.
This blockbuster NFL trade involved 18 players and draft picks. The trade laid the foundation for Dallas’ dominance in the early 1990s, leading to three Super Bowl victories.
And from football to footy, who could forget about Cristiano Ronaldo’s move from Manchester United to Real Madrid back in 2009, for a then-world record transfer fee of $94 million. Ronaldo’s transfer had a monumental impact on Real Madrid’s global popularity and financial success, helping the club to numerous domestic and international titles.
Only time will tell whether Luca Doncic will bring the Lakers to the promised land, and another championship, or can Anthony Davis do Dallas proud.
Stay tuned.
By the way, the official NBA trade is this Thursday, February 6 at 3 pm EST.

Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.