Shams Charania tells story of breaking shocking Luka Doncic trade
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When ESPN's Shams Charania reported in early February that the Dallas Mavericks were trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, few took it seriously. The idea of the Mavs parting with a Top-5 player in exchange for the oft-injured and aging Anthony Davis seemed entirely illogical.
Charania detailed the experience on The Young Man and the Three, recounting how the news came together. Following the Lakers’ win over the Knicks, he was preparing for his morning flight to Bristol when, just after 11 p.m., a source tipped him off about a potential trade between Los Angeles and Dallas. Earlier, he had heard rumblings of a deal between the two teams, but with different players involved. After reaching out to four or five sources, he pieced together the full trade details—then broke the story.
The night Shams Charania broke the news
"My hands were shaking" — @ShamsCharania goes in detail on how the Luka-AD trade came about with @KOT4Q, Cam Johnson & @talter. NEW YM3 TOMORROW pic.twitter.com/riKR26HhXI
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) March 13, 2025
“I’m picking all these pieces apart and I’m like, ‘What’s the trade? Like what is going on here,'” said the veteran ESPN analyst. “And by the time I got to the fourth and fifth person I got all the details of the trade. Made one more call and like, I didn’t even say on that call, I basically was like, ‘Is this f—ing real?’ And the person is like, ‘Yeah. Yeah, it’s real.'”
“My hands were shaking, you had to make sure like every detail was right. You had to make sure there was no typo and I just remember my hands were trembling. I didn’t have a graphic to go with it because it was so sudden. You don’t have time to prep for a Luka Doncic graphic beforehand," Charania said.
“So by the time I heard about it, to the time I put it out, probably five to seven minutes went by," he continued.
The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade aftermath
The Doncic-Davis trade reshaped both franchises and became the first midseason exchange of reigning All-NBA players. It may ultimately be remembered as the most stunning deal in NBA history.
Charania shared that his phone was flooded with messages after he broke the news. Many questioned whether his account had been hacked or if someone else had taken his phone. He admitted that he had to take a few calls to clear up the confusion.
The blockbuster trade Charania reported is still making waves in the NBA over a month later. The Lakers have climbed the standings with Doncic leading the charge, while the Mavericks are in turmoil. Anthony Davis managed just one game for Dallas before suffering an adductor strain, leaving frustrated Mavs fans calling for GM Nico Harrison to step down.
It didn't add up then, and it still doesn't now. Charania's hands trembled for a reason—he was holding the NBA's future in his grasp.
Charania's narrative provided a fascinating look behind the curtain at one of the most shocking breaking news moments in league history.
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