LeBron James, shocked by Doncic trade, sees 'seamless transition' - ESPN
LOS ANGELES — When LeBron James subbed out of the first quarter of Tuesday's eventual 122-97 win over the Clippers and marched to his customary seat toward the end of the Lakers' bench, there was a new superstar teammate sitting next to him in the spot Anthony Davis occupied for years.
The NBA's turnstile of talent landed Luka Doncic in L.A. over the weekend in a trade that sent shockwaves through the league. Only now — after initially believing the three-team trade among the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz was a «hoax,» and after processing not having Davis by his side after six seasons as teammates — is reality finally starting to set in for James.
«It still pretty much didn't seem real until I saw Luka today and I saw a clip of AD at the Dallas shootaround,» James said after the game. «That's when it finally hit me, like, 'Oh s---, this is real.'»
The fact that James was making his first public comments about the trade in the Lakers locker room at Intuit Dome, the 22-year-veteran explained, was evidence of his acceptance of it.
«If I had concerns about it, I'd waive my no-trade clause and get up out of here,» James said. «I'm here right now. I'm here right now. I'm committed to the Lakers organization.
»As the leader of the team, as one of the captains of the team, it's my job to make it as seamless as possible [for the new acquisitions]."
James detailed his late-night dinner after the Lakers' win at the New York Knicks on Saturday, earlier reported by ESPN, when he first heard the news of the Lakers sending out Davis, Max Christie and Jalen Hood-Schifino and a future first-round pick in order to bring in Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.
«My emotions were all over the place, obviously,» James said. «We