Hoops Wire

Tag: LeBron James

  • Report: Warriors Want To Acquire LeBron James And Kevin Durant

    Report: Warriors Want To Acquire LeBron James And Kevin Durant

    According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Golden State Warriors want to acquire LeBron James and Kevin Durant. 

    “Sources say the most ambitious idea being tossed around among Golden State’s decision-makers: Is there any feasible pathway for the Warriors to pull off the dreamiest of outcomes and find a way to bring both James and Durant to The Bay? That would require quite the masterstroke,” Fischer wrote. “And while pulling that off currently stands as very unlikely, both from a salary-matching and asset valuation standpoint, this is the sort of big-game hunting that has defined these Warriors. From their original Durant free agency thunderbolt in 2016 … to last trade deadline’s inquiries about James … to this past offseason’s aggressive pursuits of both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen and, at times, trying to acquire both of them.”

    LeBron has a no-trade clause in his contract. He is not looking to get traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, who traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. 

    The Phoenix Suns are not looking to trade Durant. However, they are listening to offers. 

    “The path to Durant alone does seem plausible,” Fischer wrote. “Phoenix, entering Monday’s business, continued to signal that it does not plan to move Durant before the deadline, sources said, but the Suns are believed to be listening at the very least to various teams’ pitches for the 35-year-old scoring legend. Durant, meanwhile, is said to be aware of all this.”

    The Warriors are in 11th place in the West with a record of 24-24. Stephen Curry needs more talent around him for Golden State to make the playoffs. 

    LeBron, Durant and Curry — three of the best players in NBA history — were teammates on Team USA during the Paris Olympics. The United States won the gold medal. 

    The NBA trade deadline is on February 6. 

  • Report: Lakers Have ‘Little To No Fear’ LeBron James Will Request Trade

    Report: Lakers Have ‘Little To No Fear’ LeBron James Will Request Trade

    According to NBA insider Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Lakers have “little to no fear” LeBron James will request a trade. 

    The Lakers traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. Davis and LeBron are close friends and have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. 

    LeBron, 40, has a no-trade clause in his contract. He’s the oldest player in the NBA but still a dominant force. 

    “According to people familiar with the Lakers’ thinking not authorized to speak publicly, the team has little to no fear that James will want to leave via a trade this season,” Woike wrote. “He can opt out of his contract that’s set to pay him more than $52 million next summer and become an unrestricted free agent, but that’s not an immediate concern for the Lakers. The Lakers are hopeful that James can not only pair with Doncic in the short term, but can also provide an example to the young star when it comes to the type of physical commitment it takes to sustain availability and greatness.”

    The Lakers are in fifth place in the West. They now have a “Big 3” of LeBron, Doncic and Austin Reaves. 

    LeBron’s son, Bronny, is on the Lakers. LeBron has watched his son get buckets in Cleveland, Washington and New York.

    Crowds have been chanting and cheering for Bronny all season. 

    “I missed a lot of Bronny’s points because of my career over the course of his childhood, and AAU games and high school,” LeBron said. “And for me to see all the buckets he’s had as an NBA player with us, to be here with him is super special.”

    The leading scorer in NBA history, LeBron is averaging 24.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists this season while shooting 51.3% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 76.7% from the free-throw line. 

  • LeBron James Says Goodbye To Anthony Davis As Lakers-Mavericks Luka Doncic Trade Becomes Official: ‘Love You My Dog’

    LeBron James Says Goodbye To Anthony Davis As Lakers-Mavericks Luka Doncic Trade Becomes Official: ‘Love You My Dog’

    NBA icon LeBron James has said goodbye to Anthony Davis, who was traded by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. 

    LeBron and Davis have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. The two All-Stars led the Lakers to the 2020 title against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble. 

    The Mavericks reached out to the Lakers about a Davis-Doncic trade. It is one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. 

    Davis appeared in 312 games with the Lakers. He averaged 24.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.2 blocks and made four All-Star teams. 

    The Mavericks acquired Doncic from the Atlanta Hawks on draft night in 2018 for Trae Young. Doncic has career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He is third in NBA history in points per game. 

    According to NBA insider Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Davis is “OK” going to the Mavericks to play with Kyrie Irving. 

    Goodwill also reported that Doncic was “shocked” the Mavericks traded him to the Lakers. 

    “According to sources, Davis is OK with going to Dallas and teaming with Kyrie Irving — and this is a big show of confidence for Irving,” Goodwill wrote. “Davis can play his desired position of power forward alongside Daniel Gafford and promising big man Dereck Lively II at center.

    “This feels more about Dallas and Doncic than even Davis and the Lakers — a shock in and of itself. Doncic is shocked with the move, sources told Yahoo Sports. And that could very well be in response to how serious he took the organization’s concerns about his conditioning and diet.”

    Dallas’ best players are now Davis, Irving and Klay Thompson, while Los Angeles is led by Doncic, LeBron and Austin Reaves. 

    The Lakers are in fifth place in the West and the Mavericks are in eighth place. 

  • Report: LeBron James Will Remain With Lakers After Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic Trade

    Report: LeBron James Will Remain With Lakers After Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic Trade

    According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, LeBron James will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers after the Anthony Davis–Luka Doncic trade. 

    The Lakers traded Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic. 

    LeBron has a no-trade clause in his contract. 

    The Lakers are 28-19 on the season. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference standings under first-year head coach JJ Redick. 

    The oldest player in the NBA, LeBron (40) is averaging 24.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists this season while shooting 51.3% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 76.7% from the free-throw line. 

    Davis and LeBron have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Doncic, LeBron and Davis were all stunned by the trade and had no idea it was in the works. 

    LeBron and Davis helped the Lakers win the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble against the Miami Heat. 

    The Mavericks now have Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, while the Lakers have LeBron, Doncic and Austin Reaves. 

    “We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

    “This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max Christie to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

    Doncic is only 25. He’s already established himself as one of the greatest players of all time. Luka has career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He is third in NBA history in points per game. 

  • LeBron James Fires Back At Reporter Who Says He ‘Had Grown Frustrated With Anthony Davis’

    LeBron James Fires Back At Reporter Who Says He ‘Had Grown Frustrated With Anthony Davis’

    Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James fired back at an NBA reporter who said he had grown frustrated with Anthony Davis. 

    The Lakers traded Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic last night. 

    LeBron and Davis are close friends. They also have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. 

    Doncic, LeBron and Davis were all stunned by the trade. Not one of the three superstars knew this would happen.  

    The Lakers beat the New York Knicks at MSG last night behind LeBron, who had a 33-point triple-double. The leading scorer in NBA history was at dinner with friends and family when he found out that Davis was being traded to the Mavericks for Doncic. 

    This is the most shocking trade in NBA history. Doncic is only 25. He’s already established himself as one of the greatest players of all time. Luka has career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He is third in NBA history in points per game. 

    The Lakers now have LeBron and Doncic, while the Mavericks have Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. 

    “We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

    “This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max Christie to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

  • Trade Grades: Who Gets High Marks For Luka Doncic-Anthony Deal Involving Lakers, Mavs, Jazz?

    Trade Grades: Who Gets High Marks For Luka Doncic-Anthony Deal Involving Lakers, Mavs, Jazz?

    The trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers, and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, which sent shockwaves throughout the NBA is now official. Yet it still seems surreal.Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, NBA, Lakers, Mavericks, Jazz

    For the record, it also involved the Utah Jazz and other players and picks. So let’s take a look at who won, who lost, and who finished somewhere in between. Assuming there are winners and losers.

    LAKERS

    Receive: Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris.

    Doncic alongside LeBron James? It’s hard to go wrong with that plan, even just on paper. On the court, it could be something we’ve rarely seen, despite the fact James is 40 years old. 

    Both are super duper stars with size who can score, pass, rebound … you name it.

    The question is, what will the Lakers do about the frontcourt? As the roster stands today, Christian Koloko is the only true center, and the likes of Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith will have to play power forward.

    So the days of Davis’ outstanding rim-protection are long gone. And it’s not like the Lakers have a bunch of defenders who can keep opponents from getting inside the paint.

    Something will have to be done about that — and trust us, the Lakers already know that. They still have until the NBA trade deadline (or Thursday at 3 p.m. EST) to fix it. So for now, perhaps the grade is incomplete.

    But adding a player such as Doncic alone, for now, is reason to believe LA helped itself in both the present and set itself up for the future. That’s the best thing you can do in a deal. Grade: A.

    MAVERICKS

    Receive: Davis, Max Christie, 2029 second-round pick.

    Unlike the Lakers, the Mavs are now littered with big men, from Davis to Daniel Gafford to P.J. Washington to Dereck Lively II when he returns from injury.

    They still have a potent one-two punch in Davis and Kyrie Irving to boot. But this is a completely different Dallas team without Doncic and coach Jason Kidd will have to get creative and revamp the entire offense.

    Defense at the basket and rebounding, however, should not be an issue.

    While Davis is among the NBA’s elite all-around players, he turns 32 next month and has spent way too much time on the injured list. So it’s fair to ask why the Mavs didn’t hold out for more (Hacimura? Austin Reaves? Dalton Knecht?). 

    No matter, the deal is what it is. Dallas should still be very good, but whether it’s return-to-the-Finals good … well, it’s hard to see that being the case. Grade: B-minus.

    JAZZ

    Receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 second-round pick from Mavs; 2025 second-round pick via Clippers.

    Hood-Schifino isn’t known by even some die-hard fans, yet he’s about to go down in NBA lore as one of the players in this deal. He also could receive a real opportunity for meaningful playing time with the rebuilding Jazz, who are in the auditioning stage as a franchise.

    So Utah likes to take long looks at guys while taking its lumps. And knowing CEO Danny Ainge, those second-rounders could eventually be flipped for a late first. Grade: C.

  • Lakers-Mavs Trade Centered On Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis Now Official: ‘New Chapter’

    Lakers-Mavs Trade Centered On Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis Now Official: ‘New Chapter’

    It has been announced, though it still feels almost not real. Nonetheless, the blockbuster NBA trade that sends Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks is now official.Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, NBA, Lakers, Mavericks, Mavs

    The Lakers are also receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Along with Davis, they are sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs. The Utah Jazz are also involved in the deal and are receiving big man Jalen Hood-Schifino and two 2025 second-round picks.

    The Mavericks announced the trade with a statement from general manager Nico Harrison.

    “We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” Harrison said. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

    “This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

    Davis waived his trade kicker, per reports, and the Mavs are now $628,000 under the luxury tax line after the deal. They were about $5 million above it before the trade.

    According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, Lakers star LeBron James has “dreamed” of playing alongside Doncic. Now, that possibility is a reality.

    The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. EST.

  • Report: LeBron James Has ‘Dreamed For Years’ Of Playing Alongside Luka Doncic

    Report: LeBron James Has ‘Dreamed For Years’ Of Playing Alongside Luka Doncic

    The Lakers pulled off a blockbuster trade that will undoubtedly go down in NBA lore — acquiring Luka Doncic from the Mavericks for Anthony Davis. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Lakers, Mavericks, Mavs, NBA

    There were other players and picks involved, as were the Utah Jazz. But Doncic and Davis are who are making this so incredibly noteworthy and sending shockwaves throughout the league.

    Doncic now pairs with LeBron James in Los Angeles, and per Brian Windhorst of ESPN, it’s something about which James has daydreamed.

    “LeBron has dreamed of playing with Luka Doncic for years,” Windhorst said. “This is something he never thought but badly, badly wanted. When Luka was deciding where he was going to go within Nike, LeBron pressed him very hard to come to his shoe brand … he was trying to recruit him then, he saw a vision of them playing together.”

    Meanwhile, James took to social media to vehemently deny a CBS Sports report that he had issues playing alongside Davis. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James was unaware of trade talks between the Lakers and Mavs until the last moments.

    “I haven’t spoken to him or heard from him but I have to assume that he will have a lot of excitement because he has dreamed of this and I’m sure he never thought it was going to happen in his career,” Windhorst said of the trade that brings Doncic to LA.

    The Lakers are also receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Along with Davis, they are sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs. The Utah Jazz are also involved in the deal and are receiving big man Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

    The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. EST.

  • Anthony Davis Waiving Trade Kicker; Mavericks Now $628,000 Under Cap

    Anthony Davis Waiving Trade Kicker; Mavericks Now $628,000 Under Cap

    Incoming power forward Anthony Davis waived his trade bonus to help the Mavericks complete the blockbuster NBA trade that is sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers, as relayed by Bobby Marks of ESPN.Anthony Davis, Lakers, Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers, Cavs, NBA

    Dallas was $5.1 million over the luxury tax before landing Davis, but is now $628,000 under the tax, Marks noted.

    The Lakers are also receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Along with Davis, they are sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs. The Utah Jazz are also involved in the deal and are receiving big man Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

    Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the Mavs reached out to the Lakers “a few days ago” to gauge their interest in Doncic.

    “The Mavericks went out, they knew exactly who they wanted. They wanted Anthony Davis,” Charania said. “That’s a player that if they were ever going to trade Luka Doncic … it was for AD. The Mavericks called the Lakers, and offered Luka Doncic, and that’s when the Lakers had to huddle internally. They’ve never offered Anthony Davis ever in a trade.”

    The offer prompted a meeting between Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and team owner Jeanie Buss. They obviously decided that pairing Doncic with LeBron James would be a better match than Davis would be moving forward, though the Lakers did win the championship inside the NBA Bubble in 2020.

    Doncic was reportedly stunned — and Davis and James had no idea the trade was even being discussed. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James was at dinner with his family when he learned of the major breaking news.

    “Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, the players, coaches, a lot of people on both sides of the Mavericks and Lakers had no idea,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “I can assuredly tell you…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.”

  • Lakers Reached Out To Rich Paul Following Luka Doncic Offer From Mavs

    Lakers Reached Out To Rich Paul Following Luka Doncic Offer From Mavs

    The Los Angeles Lakers reached out to agent Rich Paul after the Dallas Mavericks offered Luka Doncic in a trade for Anthony Davis, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.Luka Doncic, Mavericks, Mavs, LeBron James, Lakers, NBA

    Davis and Lakers star LeBron James are both among Paul’s clients.

    “The Lakers reached out to Rich Paul after the inquiry from the Dallas Mavericks, and the Lakers explained that they are looking from LeBron James’ replacement,” Haynes said. “Somebody who can initiate the offense, a dominant scorer out on the perimeter, someone who can take over the reins.”

    The sides reportedly agreed to a deal on Saturday, with Doncic and others heading to LA, and Davis and others heading to Dallas. The Utah Jazz were also involved in the deal.

    Doncic has been out with a calf strain and is reportedly seeking a February 8 return.

    Doncic was reportedly stunned — and Davis and LeBron James had no idea the trade was even being discussed. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James was at dinner with his family when he learned of the major breaking NBA news.

    “Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, the players, coaches, a lot of people on both sides of the Mavericks and Lakers had no idea,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said on SportsCenter. “I can assuredly tell you…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.”

    Marc Stein of The Stein Line added that Doncic did not request a trade. By all accounts, neither did Davis.

  • Mavs Offered Luka Doncic To Lakers A Few Days Ago, Prompting Meeting By LA Brass

    Mavs Offered Luka Doncic To Lakers A Few Days Ago, Prompting Meeting By LA Brass

    News of the blockbuster NBA trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers (and Utah Jazz) broke late Saturday night, but Dallas actually offered Luka Doncic to the LA a few days ago, per Shams Charania of ESPN.Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Mavericks, Mavs, Lakers, NBA

    The deal will result in Lakers star Anthony Davis as part of the package heading to the Mavs.

    “The Mavericks went out, they knew exactly who they wanted. They wanted Anthony Davis,” Charania said. “That’s a player that if they were ever going to trade Luka Doncic … it was for AD.

    “The Mavericks called the Lakers, offered Luka Doncic, and that’s when the Lakers had to huddle internally. They’ve never offered Anthony Davis ever in a trade.”

    The offer prompted a meeting between Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and team owner Jeanie Buss. They obviously decided that pairing Doncic with LeBron James would be a better match than Davis would be moving forward, though the Lakers did win the championship inside the NBA Bubble in 2020.

    Doncic was reportedly stunned — and Davis and James had no idea the trade was even being discussed. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James was at dinner with his family when he learned of the major breaking news.

    “Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, the players, coaches, a lot of people on both sides of the Mavericks and Lakers had no idea,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “I can assuredly tell you…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.”

    Marc Stein of The Stein Line added that Doncic did not request a trade. By all accounts, neither did Davis.

    Doncic is reportedly targeting a February 8 return date from his calf injury. That’s two days after the NBA trade deadline. But for the Lakers and Mavs, the deadline came much sooner.

  • Luka Doncic Stunned By Trade To Lakers; LeBron James, Anthony Davis Unaware Of Talks

    Luka Doncic Stunned By Trade To Lakers; LeBron James, Anthony Davis Unaware Of Talks

    The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers orchestrated what would become one of the most surprising trades in NBA history “in the shadows,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.Luka Doncic, NBA, Dallas Mavericks, Mavs

    That deal, which sends Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Lakers, has sent shockwaves throughout not just the NBA, but the entire sports community.

    Doncic was reportedly stunned — and Davis and LeBron James had no idea the trade was even being discussed. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James was at dinner with his family when he learned of the major breaking news.

    “Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, the players, coaches, a lot of people on both sides of the Mavericks and Lakers had no idea,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “I can assuredly tell you…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.”

    Marc Stein of The Stein Line added that Doncic did not request a trade. By all accounts, neither did Davis.

    Doncic is reportedly targeting a February 8 return date from his calf injury. That’s two days after the NBA trade deadline. But for the Lakers and Mavs, the deadline came much sooner.

    The Utah Jazz were also part of the deal. The Lakers are also receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Along with Davis, they are sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs. 

    Stunning doesn’t do this trade justice. Dallas is coming off a run to the NBA Finals, with Doncic as its MVP. He has been the face of the franchise since being drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 and a regular candidate for NBA MVP.

  • Lakers Acquiring Luka Doncic In Blockbuster Trade That Will Send Anthony Davis To Mavs

    Lakers Acquiring Luka Doncic In Blockbuster Trade That Will Send Anthony Davis To Mavs

    Believe it, it’s real. In a blockbuster trade that will shake up the entire landscape of the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks are sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal for Anthony Davis, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.Luka Doncic, Mavericks, Mavs, Jayson Tatum, Celtics, NBA

    The Lakers are also receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Along with Davis, they are sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs. The Utah Jazz are also involved in the deal.

    Stunning doesn’t do this trade justice. Dallas is coming off a run to the NBA Finals, with Doncic as its MVP. He has been the face of the franchise since being drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 and a regular candidate for NBA MVP.

    Now, he’ll play alongside LeBron James to give the Lakers one of the most frightening one-two punches in the league. Meanwhile, Davis joins a Mavs team that also features Kyrie Irving — though the trade from their end makes little sense to many across the NBA. 

    Clearly, Doncic is younger (25) and more dynamic as a big guard. Davis, 31, is an excellent frontcourt player, but tends to be injured. When he’s on the court minus James, the Lakers have looked like little more than Davis’ old New Orleans Pelicans teams.

    On the other hand, the Lakers have set themselves up with a super-duper star who can continue on with the organization long after the 40-year-old James calls it quits. With Doncic and James, the Lakers have two of the top scorers and passers in the entire league operating in the same offense.

    But from Dallas’ end … yeah, who knows what the thinking was here? It sure isn’t something that will please Mavs Nation.

    Davis is waiving his trade kicker to make the trade possible, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

    “The Mavericks approached the Lakers recently and offered Luka Doncic, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote. “Lakers brass met and believed the 25-year-old Doncic has the ability to be the face of their franchise for the next decade while giving Anthony Davis a win-now move in Dallas.”

    Hoops Wire will have much on this trade as the news becomes available.

     

  • Dribbles: Cavs Give Fitting All-Star Performance In Grounding Hawks

    Dribbles: Cavs Give Fitting All-Star Performance In Grounding Hawks

    CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ 137-115 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. …Evan Mobley, Cavaliers, Cavs, Hawks, NBA

    1. The big news of the day came before the game, when it was announced Darius Garland and Evan Mobley would be joining Donovan Mitchell as NBA All-Stars. That stayed the hot topic, because the Cavs pretty much ran the Hawks off the court.

    2. So, yes, Garland was named an All-Star reserve. Same goes for Mobley — for the first time in his four-year career. The Cavs (39-9) were waiting for this day. They always knew Garland and Mobley were All-Star talents. Now, they’re All-Stars in title, too.

    3. Without a doubt, each has taken his game to another level this season. Garland suffered through an incredibly rocky 2023-24, thanks in large part to a broken jaw. Mobley was good, but had yet to come anywhere close to all the lofty expectations.

    4. There are lots of reasons why the Cavs are 30 games over .500 right now. Garland and Mobley are two really big ones.

    5. Garland on being named as a reserve: “Last year at this time I was at home, jaw wired shut, couldn’t eat, couldn’t talk. So it’s just a blessing. … It’s a team award, for all of us.”

    6. Mobley added: “It was amazing when I found out (prior to tipoff). The whole team was there cheering me and DG on. It was a great feeling.”

    7. So for just the third time in NBA history, three Cavaliers are headed to All-Star Weekend.

    8. The other times it happened — 1989 with Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance and Mark Price; and 2017 with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

    9. A few reporters chatted with Daugherty before the game. I was among them. He mentioned how Ron Harper deserved to go to that All-Star Game, too. At the time, those Cavs were on their way to the best record in franchise history (57-25). Harper had a huge game on the night that it was revealed he’d been snubbed.

    10. Speaking of snubs, a lot of people thought Cavs center Jarrett Allen deserved a reserve bid this year. Without question, you could make a case for Allen.

    11. Coach Kenny Atkinson was asked if was disappointed Allen wasn’t picked. “Yes,” Atkinson responded quickly. “With our record … yes.”

    12. Granted, the All-Star game itself has been awful in recent years. It’s become a big joke. And now there’s some sort of weird four-team format. But it’s not about actually playing in the game for most guys. It’s about the honor.

    13. As for Thursday, the Cavs trailed for the first time in three games. But that was early in the first quarter. After that, they shut down Atlanta (22-26) and clicked on nearly every cylinder, and did so on the second night of a back-to-back. They extended the lead to 29 in the second half.

    14. Garland led the way with 26 points and seven assists. Mitchell erupted for 24 and six, respectively, one night after scoring 34. Ty Jerome was also excellent with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting.

    12. There’s more. Mobley finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Allen scored nine and snagged a remarkable 15 rebounds. And rookie Jaylon Tyson played perhaps his best game as a pro with 15 points and five boards.

    13. To tell you a little more about Tyson … well, how does diving head-first into the stands in chase of a loose ball with the Cavs up 20? “The ultimate role player,” Atkinson said of the rookie.

    14. Hawks guard Trae Young was undoubtedly another All-Star snub. You’re going to have those every year. Maybe Kevin Durant is right. Maybe there should be 15 All-Star spots in each conference instead of 12.

    15. Anyway, the Cavs did a nice job on Young (15 points, 5-of-16 shooting, 10 assists), something Atkinson said before the game was a point of emphasis. And so was just beating the Hawks — who had won both of the prior meetings.

    16. It’s true that the Cavs played Wednesday night in Miami and then had to fly home. They scored 137, anyway. “We got into the paint,” Atkinson said. “Evan was super aggressive in that first half, got back to dunking the ball. I thought our rim presence was really good.”

    17. Meanwhile, Mobley indicated he’s not solely responsible for his own success. “It’s a lot of fun going out there every night and knowing my teammates have my back,” he said. “Every night is like just another night of playing at the park with your friends.”

    18. The Cavaliers now have some toughies coming up with Dallas at home on Sunday, followed by Boston at home on Tuesday. Those two teams were in the NBA Finals last season.

    19. So those opponents have had what these Cavaliers want. “We still have a long way to go,” Mobley said. “The goal isn’t just to have the best record in the regular season; it’s to have it in the postseason.”

    20. Spoken like a true All-Star.