Shams Charania Reveals Luka Doncic–Anthony Davis Trade: An Adrenaline-Fueled Exclusive!

1. At the stroke of midnight Eastern Time on a Sunday (technically still Saturday night to many), Shams Charania caused a seismic shock across not just the NBA landscape but the whole sports community by announcing a major trade. The Dallas Mavericks agreed to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.

BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025

In sports journalism, we often embellish with phrases like “Blockbuster trade,” “Mega trade,” or “Monster trade.”

This transaction was extraordinary on another level.

While the focus was on what motivated the Mavericks, I was curious about the experience of Charania in sending out that tweet. So, I reached out to him.

During a brief chat on Sunday, Charania recounted his experience on that fateful Saturday night.

SI: What was it like to press ‘send’ on that tweet?

Charania: It was an adrenaline surge of the highest order. In many ways, I’m a fan first – a fan of basketball and the NBA. The shock I felt was likely mirrored by the audience and everyone else in the league when I discovered the news just five minutes before sharing it.

Once I confirmed the trade, it was all about ensuring its accuracy. Even with multiple confirmations, the shock persisted, but the duty was to report accurately. Those five minutes before tweeting were spent making sure, again and again, that it was correct.

SI: Was that five-minute period filled with adrenaline or nerves as well?

Charania: It was a whirlwind of emotions: anxiety, nervousness, fear, astonishment.

I had hints earlier that the two teams might be in discussions, but never did I imagine it would involve Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis.

In today’s fast-paced sports environment, where speculation is rampant, the swift execution of this trade by Rob Pelinka and Nico Harrison, keeping it under wraps, was remarkable.

SI: Did you look at your Twitter notifications after sending out the tweet, or were you too busy?

Charania: Post-tweet, my phone was inundated with calls and messages. I strive to read all my messages and normally don’t like any to remain unread. At one point, I had nearly 300 unread messages and several missed calls. It was unprecedented; everyone was trying to confirm if this was for real or if my account had been hacked.

I managed to respond to a few, but my focus quickly shifted to fleshing out the details of the trade—the what, the why, the how. It wasn’t about confirming whether my Twitter was hacked. After breaking the news, the next steps were to get the specifics and proceed from there.

SI: Did any executives or players reach out to you to find out if the trade was legitimate?

Charania: I was contacted by a broad spectrum of people within the NBA community.

SI: What time did you manage to get some sleep that night?

Charania: I finally fell asleep at 5:45 a.m. CT, only to wake up at 6:15 a.m. for a series of SportsCenter appearances starting at 7 a.m.

2. Among the more humorous reactions to the Luka trade was a video showing Mavericks fans carrying a casket to the team’s arena while Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” played, symbolizing the end of an era.

Three dudes brought a coffin to American Airlines Center. They’re playing “See You Again.”

“Rest in peace to the Mavs.” pic.twitter.com/0Ndv26vGyb

— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) February 2, 2025

3. The Mavericks played their first game post-trade on Sunday, and the team’s play-by-play announcer, Mark Followill, didn’t hold back during his introduction, making it a noteworthy broadcast.

Longtime Mavericks play-by-play announcer @MFollowill did not mince words as he signed on for today’s broadcast. pic.twitter.com/ai1bUX0Xl7

— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) February 2, 2025

4. Interestingly, even Patrick Mahomes, who was preparing for the Super Bowl, was taken aback by the Luka trade. As a bettor backing the Kansas City Chiefs, I’m hoping he regains his focus quickly!

Wait what?

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 2, 2025

I’m sick rn…. https://t.co/IGiojb3OXT

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 2, 2025

Yall gotta chill…. https://t.co/iCLMIwO4gf

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 2, 2025

5. Don’t miss the clever one-liner dropped by Pat McAfee during the Royal Rumble panel as they recalled his brief 38-second appearance in the previous year’s event.

WE WERE ALL SURPRISED

You know what I’m talking about @MichaelCole

YEET #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/kZ9eSwjb5N

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 1, 2025

6. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features an insightful interview with ESPN’s Troy Aikman, who will discuss his controversial remarks about NFL referees and the roughing the passer rules during the Texans-Chiefs playoff game. Aikman will share whether he received any feedback from the NFL following his comments and his views on what changes should be made to the rules.

Aikman also talks about the advice he’d offer Tom Brady on calling his first Super Bowl, his experiences playing in and commentating his first Super Bowl, the Cowboys’ new coaching hire, and his relationship with Jerry Jones.

Following Aikman, WWE superstar Seth Rollins will join the show for the “Traina Thoughts” segment, discussing a variety of topics including the Royal Rumble, NFL commentators, visiting New Orleans for Radio Row, and his passion as a Bears fan.

You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: On this date in 1989, the WWF witnessed one of its most iconic breakups ever when Randy “Macho Man” Savage turned on Hulk Hogan.