Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has spoken about the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade and Luka’s special connection with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
“I look back, and I remember the last time I saw Kobe alive—about a month before he passed,” Buss said on The Rich Eisen Show. “He had brought Gigi to a Lakers game to see Luka play because Luka was Gigi’s favorite player. The idea that Luka is now a Laker—I know how happy that would have made Kobe and Gigi.”
Buss went on to say she’d never thought she’d be in a position where a generational star like Doncic would be playing for the Lakers.
“You know, in my position, there are certain players in the league that you think, ‘There’s no way I’ll ever have that player on my team.’ It’s just impossible—unless you draft a star like that, they usually don’t move,” Buss said. “When the opportunity came up, we were not looking to move Anthony Davis.”
“He was our rock-solid player, and we had to give up a lot to get Luka.”
Buss continued, talking about the move and thought her late Dad, Jerry, would have done the same thing.
“Chip off the old block,” Buss said. “I don’t know like it’s something my dad would have done but you have to remember we had the piece that they wanted which was Anthony Davis and that’s why they came to us, that’s why the conversation started.”
The way the trade was handled and the fact that neither of the parties breathed a word to the players or the NBA media was a huge talking point. Buss defended the move and explained it was the only way.
“What was really important was Rob Pelinka, the general manager and I know we did not want any part of it to leak out because it’s very disruptive to a team that’s trying to focus on getting better,” Buss said. “We have a rookie coach in JJ Redick and the idea of blowing something up midseason to make a trade like that if it didn’t go through would have repercussions. So it was really tight-lipped and each step of the way was discussed and we were able to make a deal that both sides were comfortable with.”
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