Overview
- Golden State’s Jimmy Butler said he initially thought reports of Luka Dončić being traded to the Lakers were fake, calling the move baffling in an interview with The National shared via video on X.
- Butler asserted there is “always more to it” and said he could guarantee undisclosed factors played a role, while acknowledging he does not know the reason.
- The February deal sent Dončić to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas in a multi-team trade that outlets have described as a rare in-season star-for-star swap.
- Subsequent reporting has tied Dallas’ decision to concerns about Dončić’s conditioning and defensive effort plus reluctance to commit to a looming supermax extension.
- The Lakers have since retooled around Dončić alongside LeBron James, while Dallas faces ongoing scrutiny during its reset; Butler himself was traded days later to the Warriors, informing his perspective on franchise moves.