The Los Angeles Lakers’ group chat isn’t usually where franchise-altering news drops. But this time, that is exactly what happened.
According to Yaron Weitzman’s new book A Hollywood Ending, the team’s private chat became the stage for one of the most unbelievable moments in recent NBA memory. The first person to break it wasn’t JJ Redick or anyone from the team’s Front Office. It was rookie Bronny James.
Bronny shared a Shams tweet reporting the shocking trade that would send Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. Players froze. Some thought it was fake. Others wondered if Shams’ account had been hacked.
Then Anthony Davis joined the conversation. “Did these n-ggas just trade me?” he wrote, according to Weitzman. Moments later, the All-Star forward wished his teammates good luck and left the chat. The room went silent until LeBron James finally replied with a simple “WTF.”
Did these n*ggas just trade me?
From Group Chat Confusion to a Franchise-Changing Trade
Within hours, the trade was confirmed on February 2, 2025. Luka Doncic was officially a Laker. Anthony Davis was heading to Dallas. The Utah Jazz joined the deal as a third team, completing a transaction that stunned fans and front offices across the league.
In Los Angeles, Doncic quickly made an impact. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, immediately becoming the Lakers’ new cornerstone alongside LeBron. Davis performed solidly in Dallas with averages of 20 points and 9.6 rebounds, but injuries limited his time on the floor.
Behind the scenes, several Lakers admitted they initially thought Bronny’s message was a prank. According to The Athletic, the timing and the source were so unexpected that many players questioned whether it could possibly be true. It was not only true, but it also marked the start of a new chapter in Lakers history.
Luka Reflects on the Trade That Changed Everything
After the Lakers’ early playoff exit, Doncic opened up about the mental and emotional toll of the blockbuster deal. “I’m mentally kind of exhausted from everything that happened,” he said during his exit interview, as reported by ESPN. “Now it’s time to process everything.”
The Slovenian star added that he preferred not to engage with the rumors coming out of Dallas, saying, “It mostly came from there, so I didn’t want to talk back.” His focus now is on leading the Lakers deeper into the playoffs next season, guided by LeBron’s experience and his own hunger to prove he belongs in Los Angeles.
What began as a simple message from a rookie turned into one of the wildest trade reveals the NBA has ever seen. The Lakers’ group chat may never feel the same again.
Read the full article here
