Charles Barkley reacts to blockbuster Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade, NBA fallout

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers broke the internet over the weekend, as they swapped Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis as part of a historic three-team blockbuster trade, where the Utah Jazz were involved, as well.

All told, Dallas traded Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles for Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. Utah received Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 second round pick via the LA Clippers, and a 2025 second round pick via the Mavericks.

As the dust settles on the move, NBA legend Charles Barkley joined ESPN’s Get Up on Monday morning to react to the move. He believes it boiled down to Dallas not trusting their star player, and deciding to dish him out a super-max contract, which would’ve been worth $350 million with the Mavericks.

“None of us know what’s happening behind the scenes with the Mavericks,” Barkley stated. “But with this new CBA, they’ve got to give him five years, $350 million. Let me repeat that, because I’m like, ‘Wow’ — five years, $350 million. They know him better than anybody. They said, ‘He’s got something going on. He doesn’t get in shape. He’s not a great defender. Do we trust him?’ And they’re like, ‘We don’t trust him.’ It’s that plain. It’s that simple.

“There’s going to be a lot of noise going on around here. But the Mavericks, who know him better than anybody, the coaches and guys around there, the general manager says, ‘We cannot give this guy five years, $350 million.’ That’s the bottom line, plain and simple.”

While many pundits have panned the move for different reasons, Dallas general manager Nico Harrison called a press conference on Sunday to address the move. He defended the trade of Doncic vigorously, and that’s something Barkley commended, recognizing the real-time history of the moment.

“I want to give him his flowers greeting for standing up,” Barkley added, regarding Harrison. “He didn’t run. A lot of general managers when they make trades, they put out statements, or they don’t go right to the press conference. I want to give Nico his flowers for standing up, saying what he had to say. He stood on business.

“Now, we’re going to sit back and watch — this is going to be one of the best reality TV shows, probably in the history of sports. This trade was a shocker for a couple reasons. No. 1, it came out of nowhere, first and foremost. But something that was really intriguing, normally when you trade a great player, you get a bunch of junk in return. The Mavs got a great Anthony Davis. So, Luca’s great. Anthony Davis is great.

“This is going to be one of the most fascinating things, and the thing is, it’s going to be fascinating, probably for the next ten years. The Mavs won the trade for the immediate next three or four years, but the Lakers got a bright future, if they put the right pieces around Luca.”

Time will tell which team truly won the trade, but both fanbases were more than shocked when the news dropped on Sunday morning. Regardless, the Mavericks and Lakers will forever be intertwined moving forward, as Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis try to adjust to their new realities.