Kevin Durant was just as floored as everybody else at Saturday’s complete jaw-dropper of a trade.
The unbelievable trade news broke late on Saturday night that the Dallas Mavericks were trading franchise talent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis (full details here).
Word of the blockbuster trade emerged towards the end of the Phoenix Suns’ game against the Trail Blazers in Portland, which was the final game on the NBA schedule on Saturday. With the Blazers eventually winning 127-108, the game was in fourth-quarter garbage minutes at the time, meaning that all of the Suns’ key players were on the bench.
A viral video showed Durant looking at the news on his phone and reacting incredulously along with teammates Bradley Beal, Royce O’Neale, Jusuf Nurkic, and others. At one point, Durant appeared to say “Luka?” before adding “Why’d Dallas do it?”
Here is the video.
Look at KD’s reaction to the Luka-AD trade pic.twitter.com/LvqaeJhmi7
— (@_CallMeDennis_) February 2, 2025
After the game, Durant told reporters that he was “shocked” and added that there was a double standard for loyalty in the NBA with players vs. teams.
"Insane. It's crazy, crazy."
Kevin Durant on mega Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade.
"Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program but the organizations don't get held to that same standard from the outside."
On teams following suit before Feb.… pic.twitter.com/DekP4eRN6N
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 2, 2025
The former MVP Durant has been in the NBA for 17 seasons now, but even he had never seen anything quite like Saturday’s blockbuster trade. Fans on social media were just as astounded, and the initial reaction to the news was truly a sight to behold.
