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When it comes to the Luka Dončić trade, Adam Silver is just like us.
So said the NBA commissioner during his news conference Saturday from the NBA’s All-Star weekend in San Francisco. Silver, not surprisingly, was asked early about the trade of Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers that remains a stunner two weeks after it was consummated.
He told reporters that the deal arrived as a surprise to him, just like fans.
“I was surprised when I heard about the trade,” Silver said. “I did not know that Luka was potentially a player that was about to be traded. That was news to me. I followed it like a fan at that point.
“That’s the kind of confidential information that’s generally not shared with the league in advance unless a team is publicly shopping a player. To the best of my knowledge, that’s not what happened in the case of Dallas and Los Angeles.”
Per reports, Silver is correct. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison reportedly didn’t shop his five-time All-NBA point guard for the best offer. He instead zeroed in on the Lakers with the specific intent of landing Anthony Davis in return.
The Lakers, of course, were happy to oblige, and they sent the 31-year-old injury-prone Davis to Dallas in exchange for Dončić, who now projects as the face of the franchise for the next decade-plus.
Because of this, Mavericks fans are furious. Dončić is not only a generational talent and a perennial MVP candidate. He’s a beloved figure in the Dallas community and a superb entertainer who more often than not made Mavericks home games worth the price of admission. And now he’s a Laker.
Silver ’empathetic’ with angry Mavericks fans
“In terms of anger at the fan base, I’m empathetic,” Silver continued. “I understand. Dallas was in the Finals last year.
“I’ve also said this before. I like Luka very much. … It seems truly authentic that he was stunned, and you could see it in his body language.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference at the NBA basketball All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
