OKC Thunder Superstar, Coach React to Luka Doncic Trade

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and bench boss Mark Daigneault react to the league-shifting trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday Night.

May 11, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends during the second half during game three of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder were ousted by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA playoffs. This season, the Mavericks have a three game to one edge over the Thunder with the season-series on ice.

What was once a budding NBA rivalry, has been altered by a blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. This shifts the Western Conference picture which caused a reaction from the Oklahoma City Thunder at Sunday's practice.

“That every team is running their own race and we’re focused on us. … I’m not focused on the Western Conference picture," head coach Mark Daigneault said.

The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar had a different viewpoint on the situation, as a player who has been traded before in his past.

“Shocked probably like the rest of the world. Didn’t hear it coming. Didn’t see it coming. Try not to put too much into it," Gilgeous-Alexander said on his reaction. "Try to wrap my head around it. My job is to play basketball, not worry about those type of things.”

The NBA is a business and that is a lesson everyone has to learn at some point. Gilgeous-Alexander had to learn it right out of the gate.

“I learned that lesson the hard way in my first year in the NBA. I got traded out of the blue. Didn’t see it coming. It doesn’t surprise me any more than myself getting traded a long time ago," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I found out it was a business my first season.”

Once thought of as untouchable, Doncic's trade caught the league off-guard even the superstar himself. It gives a new meaning to the common phrase "untouchable," which everyone would've considered the Mavericks star as before the deal.

"I always say no matter how untouchable you think you are, you never know. There's always something like this," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "That's how my mindset is and I guess that keeps me a little bit of an edge to make sure I'm taken care of what I need to so that the team that I'm with values me as much as I want them to."

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