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Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss made a heartbreaking admission in the aftermath of the Luka Dončić trade that shocked the NBA and the sporting world.

“You know, in my position, there are certain players in the league that you think, ‘There’s no way I’ll ever have that player on my team.’ It’s just impossible—unless you draft a star like that, they usually don’t move,” Buss said on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Tuesday, Feb. 25. “When the opportunity came up, we were not looking to move Anthony Davis.”

But Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison coveted Davis, which is the sole reason why he only offered Dončić to the Lakers.

As much as it broke Buss’ heart to see Davis go, the Mavericks’ offer was too good to pass up.

“He was our rock-solid player, and we had to give up a lot to get Luka,” Buss said of Davis, who helped them win their 17th NBA title in 2020.

The Lakers gave up Davis, Max Christie and their 2029 first-round pick.

To Buss, that’s a lot. But to the Mavericks fans and many executives around the league, it was not.

Air-Tight Trade Talks Were a Must

But they could only die with envy. Buss could not even believe the luck they struck in acquiring the 25-year-old generational star.

“Chip off the old block,” Buss said. “I don’t know like it’s something my dad would have done but you have to remember we had the piece that they wanted which was Anthony Davis and that’s why they came to us,  that’s why the conversation started.”

The stealth execution of the trade was also criticized. But it was something that both parties agreed upon as crucial to bringing the deal to the finish line, according to Buss, with so much at stake.

“What was really important was Rob Pelinka, the general manager and I know we did not want any part of it to leak out because it’s very disruptive to a team that’s trying to focus on getting better,” Buss said. “We have a rookie coach in JJ Redick and the idea of blowing something up midseason to make a trade like that if it didn’t go through would have repercussions. So it was really tight-lipped and each step of the way was discussed and we were able to make a deal that both sides were comfortable with.”

Luka-Kobe Special Connection

Landing Dončić as the next face of their franchise reminded Buss of the late Kobe Bryant, who has a special connection with the Slovenian star.

“I look back, and I remember the last time I saw Kobe alive—about a month before he passed,” Buss recalled. “He had brought Gigi to a Lakers game to see Luka play because Luka was Gigi’s favorite player. The idea that Luka is now a Laker—I know how happy that would have made Kobe and Gigi.”

Dončić acknowledged that during his introductory press conference.

“It was an amazing moment, just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me,” he told reporters. “I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment.”

Alder Almo is a basketball journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo