We’re six months removed from the historic, mind-boggling three-team trade that saw the Dallas Mavericks send Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The whole affair is so out of pocket that it has its own Wikipedia page, with most of the analysis agreeing that it’s “one of the most one-sided trades in NBA history, with the Lakers overwhelmingly considered the winners of the trade.”
As to why the Mavs would part with Luka—who won the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year and helped the struggling Mavs become championship contenders—one of the prevailing narratives was his “conditioning.” ESPN reported that “Doncic's lackadaisical approach to diet and conditioning” influenced the Mavs front office to ship him off to L.A.
So, with Luka showing off a more muscular and fit figure during a recent tour of New York City, many assumed it was his “revenge body” – the look one obtains after getting dumped.
But he doesn’t see it that way.
Luka Dončić Doesn’t Think New Figure Is Because of Mavericks Trade
“I mean, it's been every summer, you know, but I think just this summer I had a lot more time to try some new things — new nutrition, new food, different practices,” Luka, 26, told People after surprising employees at the NBA All-Hands meeting.
Luka is reportedly eating 250 grams of protein a day, intermittently fasting and doing two-a-day workouts. But his focus is not simply looking hot: he wants to add to the Lakers’ legacy.
“I would say winning the championship is my priority,” Dončić told People. “You know, you try to do it every year; I didn't do it yet. Hopefully, in the future I will. “So I mean, that was honestly my motivation. We got a new team, we got a whole preseason. You get to know each other, and honestly, I'm very excited to start.”
The Lakers are excited, too. With the ongoing buzz speculating that LeBron James will either retire after this season (or finish out his career back in Cleveland), Luka is poised to be the Lakers’ centerpiece going forward.
Luka ended up on the Lakers thanks to a three-team deal between Los Angeles, Dallas and the Utah Jazz. In the end, the Los Angeles Lakers got Luka, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris and $55k from the Utah Jazz. Dallas got the 32-year-old Anthony Davis, Max Christie, the Lakers’ 2029 1st round Draft pick, and $55k.
The Jazz got Jalen Hood-Schifino (whom they waived, allowing him to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers) and two 2025 2nd round draft picks—one from the Lakers, one from the Mavs. They used the picks to get Jamir Watkins and John Tonje. They join Ace Bailey, whom the Jazz secured with the overall No. 5 pick (much to Bailey’s alleged chagrin; he reportedly wasn’t thrilled about ending up in Utah).
But Mavs fans wiped their tears with their good “luck”: despite having just 1.8% odds, they won the 2025 NBA draft lottery, scoring the overall No. 1 pick, which they used on Cooper Flag.
With all that said, the 2025 NBA season is going to be wild.