Rob Pelinka has his new face of the franchise.
The Los Angeles Lakers general manager made his first statement on Sunday afternoon after the stunning blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for superstar Luka Dončić, among other things.
The trade, which seemed to catch just about everybody by surprise on Saturday night, is something that Pelinka believes will keep the Lakers in a prime position over the next several seasons. Dončić will also wear No. 77 for the Lakers, which makes him the first player in franchise history to do so.
“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come,” Pelinka said, in part. “His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for this team. We will be relentless in building a roster around the on-court vision that 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.”
Both teams announced the trade officially on Sunday morning. The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. The Mavericks also received Max Christie and a first-round draft pick. The Utah Jazz were part of the deal, too.
Many speculated that ESPN’s Shams Charania’s social media accounts had been hacked when the deal was first reported on Saturday night, though plenty of other reporters quickly confirmed it as real. There was no indication that either team was looking to move their respective stars, and both of them were reportedly caught off guard. Even LeBron James reportedly had no idea it was coming. The deal is undoubtedly one of the most stunning trades in recent NBA history.
Dončić was eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax deal this summer, though the Mavericks reportedly had concerns about his conditioning heading into negotiations. Dončić is no longer eligible for that extension. His current five-year deal runs through the 2026-27 season, but he can opt out during the final season.
Though he seemingly didn’t get enough back for Dončić, considering he had all of the leverage and approached the Lakers about the deal first, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison defended his deal on Sunday.
“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that.”
The Mavericks, who reached the NBA Finals last season with Dončić, will now try to make a postseason push with Davis. The 31-year-old center spent the last six seasons with the Lakers and he won a title there. Davis has averaged 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this season.
Though the James-era in Los Angeles is nearing its end, and it’s unclear if Dončić will opt to stick with the Lakers long-term, Pelinka is at least putting the pieces in place to keep a superstar with the franchise once James steps aside.
“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.”
