While the shocking blockbuster Luka Doncic trade occurred seven months ago, many are still discussing the deal in September.
In a recent interview with The National, Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler revealed his initial reaction to the historic mid-February transaction.
“I thought it was fake like everybody else,” Butler said. “So did you, I don’t even have to ask, you know what I mean.”
“It’s like this guy got hacked or something. I just always thought like, when you use the word untradable, untouchable, you’d think Luka Doncic is one of those guys honestly. I don’t know, it don’t got too much to do with me, I still just, I was baffled by it, I’m still baffled by it. It just doesn’t look right. It’s just, it’s crazy.”
“There’s always more to it. Because everybody else is always on the outside looking in, so you only know what you read. You only know what you see from socials. You don’t know what was really going on behind closed doors.”
For clarity, the Dallas Mavericks traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis in a multi-team deal.
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The deal was deemed historic because it marked the first time that two All-NBA players were traded for one another during a season.
Butler had a similar reaction to the rest of the basketball community. With the Mavericks being less than a year removed from an NBA Finals appearance, it was challenging to process the organization’s unexpected decision to drastically shake up its roster.
Butler was also involved in a blockbuster trade during the 2024-25 campaign. After the six-time All-Star’s relationship with the Miami Heat rapidly deteriorated, the franchise elected to include him in a deal sending him to the Warriors.
Unlike Doncic’s situation, though, Butler was aware that there was a slim chance that he would finish the year with the team he started it with.
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