Report: How and When LeBron Learned of Anthony Davis, Luka, Lakers Trade Revealed

LeBron James was just as stunned as the rest of the world to find out the Los Angeles Lakers were acquiring Luka Dončić as part of a three-team trade that sends Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

Appearing on SportsCenter, ESPN's Dave McMenamin explained that James was out with friends and family at a restaurant in New York City after Saturday's game against the Knicks when he found out on his phone during dinner the deal was happening.

The full trade involves Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris going to the Lakers, with Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick going to the Mavs, and the Utah Jazz will receive two 2025 second-round picks plus Jalen Hood-Schifino, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

McMenamin added that James was "surprised" and "still processing" the news, but otherwise had no idea it was even in the works before the news broke.

It seems extremely rare for a team to keep James out of the loop, though that could signal a couple of things in this case. One thing is it could speak to how quickly this whole thing seemed to come together.

Per McMenamin, the Mavericks initiated talks with the Lakers "a few days ago."

Another potential signal from this deal is the Lakers are ready to start thinking about life after James retires. He is still playing at an extremely high level, including recording a triple-double in Saturday's win over the Knicks, but he's 40 years old.

The Athletic's Jovan Buha noted on Jan. 21 there is an "operating assumption" around the NBA that James is only going to play one more season in 2025-26 before retiring.

Given how close James and Davis are, on top of the presumed Klutch influence on the organization, the Lakers may have wanted to keep James out of the loop to avoid any potential clashes.

As for what happens going forward with James, that remains to be seen. There's never been any indication he wants to leave the Lakers, to the point he negotiated a full no-trade clause in his contract signed last summer.

It will be interesting to see how James and Dončić, as two ball-dominant players, co-exist on the floor and how quickly they can establish chemistry. Dončić has been out of action since suffering a calf injury on Christmas Day, though he's reportedly hoping to return before the All-Star break.

The Lakers have been playing very well lately with eight wins in their last 10 games. They are a season-high nine games over .500 (28-19) and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.