NBA super agent Rich Paul has given his account of the NBA mega-trade that shook up the league.
The Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis trade was a deal conducted in secret between Dallas Mavericks and LA Lakers‘ general managers Nico Harrison and Rob Pelinka.
It took everybody else in the league aback, even the players, and in a fresh interview, one of the agents involved has given his account.
Klutch Sport’s Rich Paul represents Anthony Davis, and while he says he found out shortly before Shams Charania revealed the news, the deal came as a shock to him.
Rich Paul says this was a case where he did not know the deal was being constructed, with Anthony Davis jettisoned by the Lakers after six seasons.
He admits, however, that Nico Harrison’s well-known admiration of Anthony Davis meant this was not a total surprise.
He said: “99.9 per cent of the time I know what’s going on. The one time I didn’t, we all didn’t. It was a shock to everybody.
“Who was in it was a shock. I always knew the affinity in it from Nico’s perspective, so the destination wasn’t really a shock.
“The timing of it was a shock, and who was involved was a shock, but you don’t move mountains without everybody knowing. You can’t.
“I’m glad I didn’t know. And I’m glad whoever else didn’t know, because it probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Rich Paul added amid the high controversy over the move that has even taken the Dallas CEO aback, “Everybody’s gonna have their issues about it, that’s not my place.”
“Anybody can be traded, we see that right. Its business at the end of the day. The contracts travel.”
But he was keen to add that Anthony Davis deserves a little more respect, commenting: “People get it twisted in terms of the Luka trade. Dallas got AD!”
Davis showed what he was capable of in a spectacular start to his debut in Dallas, before suffering an injury.
The former Lakers star will miss the upcoming game between the two teams, but could be healthy for Luka’s return to Dallas in April.
