In life, there are some moments so impactful that it’s easy to remember the exact time and place when you heard that news. The infamous trade involving the Dallas Mavericks sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers is one of those moments. For Mavericks fans, that day brings upon a feeling of dread. On the other hand, Lakers fans look to the skies like peasants of old, thanking the gods for a plentiful bounty.
Advertisement
It was the night of February 1 when ESPN insider Shams Charania first reported the trade, which initially led to people assuming somebody had hacked his account. Nobody could fathom that the Mavericks would trade away one of the league’s best players before he had even entered his prime.
Red Hot Chili Peppers star, Flea, certainly couldn’t believe it. The die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan was at his manager’s house when the trade went down. A fellow celebrity broke the news to him, but he struggled to buy it.
“Ben Stiller was there,” Flea revealed on The Young Man and The Three podcast. “Ben Stiller is a big Knicks fan. He walked up to me, and he’s like, ‘You got Luka.’ I was like, ‘What?'”
Flea was under the assumption that Stiller was playing a prank on him. Rightfully so, how would the Lakers even be able to acquire Luka Doncic? The team had been offering the same draft package consisting of Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent with a few second-round picks. Shortly after, Stiller revealed the details to Flea, which left the rockstar floored, quite literally.
“I was like, ‘F*** you,” Flea revealed. “He was really serious. I whipped out my phone, and I literally fell down to the ground.”
Flea is a huge fan of Anthony Davis and loved him while on the Lakers. If it weren’t for Davis, the Lakers wouldn’t have won an NBA championship in 2020. However, Doncic is not only a better player currently, but has the tools to lead the franchise for the foreseeable future.
“I love AD, but I thought it was a really good trade, and there’s no slight on AD because AD is incredible,” Flea proclaimed. “But getting Luka at that age, that kind of player, I mean, unbelievable.”
Once reality set in, the legendary bassist got up from the floor and began dreaming of the Lakers winning yet another championship.
Of course, the Lakers weren’t able to capitalize with Doncic at the helm to conclude the 2024-25 season. But now that they have a roster which caters more to the skill set of the Slovenian star, they may be much more equipped to make the purple and gold nation’s dream come true.
