What’s next for Lakers after acquiring Luka Doncic and trading Anthony Davis?

LOS ANGELES — Yes, that really happened.

In the span of just a little over an hour, the Lakers went from playing one of their best games of the season against the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, and looking like a team worth investing in led by the All-Star tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, to quickly pivoting with the franchise’s direction.

The Lakers not only stunned the NBA in a way only few organizations could by acquiring five-time All-Star guard Luka Doncic in a trade that sent 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

But they also provided themselves as much security as possible that the post-LeBron James era of the franchise won’t be bleak by acquiring a transcendent player in Doncic, who’s on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory after just six seasons in the league.

The Lakers received Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round draft pick. The Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Clippers’ 2025 second-round pick and the Mavericks’ 2025 second-round pick.

“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement on Sunday morning after the trade became official earlier in the day. “His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for the team.

“We will be relentless in building a roster around the on-court vision Coach Redick has for this basketball team and there is an unwavering commitment to that work to serve our loyal and dedicated fans. We are grateful for today and look forward to what’s next.”

Judging by their latest move, “what’s next” could mean so many different things for the Lakers – for their present, short-term and long-term future.

But starting with their present, it appears that they’re committed to Doncic and James as the franchise’s new 1-2 punch.

Longtime NBA reporter Chris Haynes reported in the aftermath of the trade on Sunday morning that James intends to stay with the Lakers past Thursday’s trade deadline.

James signed a two-year, $101.4 million contract with the Lakers last summer that includes a $52.6 million player option for 2025-26 and a no-trade clause – meaning the franchise would need his approval in any potential deal involving him. The 40-year-old star learned about the trade while he was out to dinner with family after Saturday’s victory. Citing unnamed sources, ESPN reported that James was surprised by the deal, but he appears to be invested in his latest superstar duo alongside Doncic, who has referred to James as an “idol”.

Besides James, it remains to be seen what else could be in store for the franchise’s short-term – ahead of the trade deadline and this season.

The Lakers (28-19) entered Sunday at the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings, with Saturday’s win being their sixth in their last seven games and eighth in their last 10. They appeared to be trending in the right direction in light of other developments: Christie’s development in his third season; Gabe Vincent’s emergence in the rotation over the last two months; the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith at the end of December; the return of Jarred Vanderbilt.

The answer to whether the Lakers are more equipped to contend for a championship this season depends on who’s asked.

Doncic is a more talented and consistent offensive player than Davis. He’s one of the most unique offensive players in league history because of his combination of size, basketball IQ, passing, playmaking and scoring abilities.

Among players with at least 400 games, Doncic’s 28.6-point average is third in NBA history behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain – both at 30.1. When healthy, he’s typically somewhere between dynamic and unstoppable.

He finished third in the MVP voting last season after averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds per game, easily one of the greatest statistical seasons in league history. Doncic led the Mavericks to the playoffs in four of his first six seasons, including the 2022 Western Conference finals, which Dallas lost to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors in five games, and the 2024 NBA Finals, which the Mavericks lost in five games to the Boston Celtics.

Doncic has averaged 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and eight assists in 50 playoff games. His postseason scoring average is the second-highest in league history behind Jordan (33.5).

Doncic and James will form one of the most unique offensive-oriented superstar tandems in league history.

But Davis, who’s made an All-Defensive team five times in his career, including a first-team selection after last season, has been the focal point of a Lakers’ defense that has improved as of late but has lacked consistency. The Lakers, who’ve ranked No. 5 in defensive rating over their last 24 games but No. 18 for the season, also lost one of their better point-of-attack guard defenders in Christie, who has been tasked with guarding opponents’ primary ball-handlers since becoming a full-time starter on Dec. 8. The Lakers have gone 16-8 in that stretch.

For sports bettors, odds for the Lakers winning a title this year improved, which they declined for the Mavericks.

“We are overwhelmingly thankful for AD’s six seasons with the Lakers, where he led our franchise to a championship and cemented himself as a perennial NBA All-Star,” Pelinka said. “We are proud of Max Christie’s development as a Laker as he has grown into an impact 3-and-D player and we are appreciative of the work Jalen Hood-Schifino has put in to show professionalism at every level. Sports are about transformative moments. We are inspired by these moments Lakers fans know, expect and love with a franchise that continually ushers in new eras of greatness.”

The franchise also lacks other big men behind Jaxson Hayes, who has started in place of Davis over the last couple of games. The Lakers have Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III signed to two-way contracts. Kleber is also sidelined after fracturing his right foot in the Mavericks’ loss to the Boston Celtics on Jan. 25.

The Lakers have their own 2025 second-round draft pick and 2031 first-round pick they could use in a trade before Thursday. They’ll likely continue to look at ways they could improve this roster.

But it’s clear that they’re prioritizing the future, which will include Doncic, who doesn’t turn 26 until Feb. 28, as a franchise cornerstone.

There aren’t any guarantees in sports. Doncic’s departure from Dallas, the franchise that drafted him in 2018 and also viewed him as cornerstone, is proof of this. But the Lakers are giving themselves the best shot at having a prosperous post-James era.