Luka Doncic knows what it’s like to be part of a groundshaking NBA trade, and he commented on another one that happened on Wednesday.
After Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a 107-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, Doncic shared his thoughts on Trae Young’s stunning trade from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” Doncic told reporters, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “So if he’s excited for this new journey, I’m excited for him.”
Like Doncic, Young was still at his peak as a face of a franchise when the Hawks decided to send him to the Wizards in exchange for veteran guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert. Doncic was shockingly traded last February by the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers, a transaction that continues to generate buzz to this day.
It remains to be seen whether Young’s switch from Atlanta to Washington will be a win for all parties involved, but it does end a long-running saga for the Hawks, who did not want to deal with more drama involving him and his decision on his future. The former Oklahoma Sooners star has a player option worth $48.9 million for the 2026-27 campaign.
Doncic and the Lakers can get a closer look at the Young-infused Wizards on Jan. 30, when Los Angeles visits Washington at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
