14-Year NBA Veteran Reacts to Major Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis Trade News

Former Chicago Bulls guard Richard Hamilton reacts to the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade

Nov 22, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and guard Max Christie (10) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The NBA trade deadline is just days away, as teams around the league will spend the time leading up to it working on potential deals and evaluating their needs for the remainder of the season. The Los Angeles Lakers were a team rumored to potentially make another trade this season after landing Dorian Finney-Smith in December, but nobody could've predicted what news broke in the late hours of Saturday night.

Now confirmed by league sources, the Lakers have agreed to a deal to send All-NBA forward Anthony Davis in exchange for Luka Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks. Arguably the biggest blockbuster trade in league history, people have taken to social media to share their initial reactions. Others went live on air to discuss, which included former Chicago Bulls guard Richard "Rip" Hamilton.

"Luka Doncic doesn't play second fiddle to anybody."@RipHamilton32 on how he thinks Luka Doncic will match with LeBron James on the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/Vx5FQCTJjd

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 2, 2025

"LeBron James is arguably still, in his mind, the best player in the game of basketball right now," Hamilton said on CBS Sports HQ. "Then you got a young killer coming up in Luka Doncic. Luka Doncic doesn't play second fiddle to anybody."

Hamilton compared the pairing of Doncic and James to when James joined up with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2010. Hamilton goes on to say he doesn't think it will work the same as those two did in Miami, saying he thinks Doncic will try to assert himself as the alpha on the team.

Luka Doncic at the age of 25:

— 5x All-Star
— 5x 1st Team All-NBA
— ROTY
— 2nd all-time in playoff PPG
— 3rd all-time in PPG
— 6th all-time in playoff triple-doubles
— 7th all-time in triple-doubles

Traded for a pick and a 31 year old. pic.twitter.com/AdcNdqrqBl

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 2, 2025

Regardless of where Hamilton and others stand on the pairing, there's no telling what it will be like when the two stars share the court. Doncic is still recovering from his calf injury, but reports have indicated he could debut for the Lakers before the All-Star break.

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