Cavaliers HC Reveals Surprising Reaction To Luka Doncic Trade

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd react to the stunning trade between the Mavs and Lakers that saw Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis change teams

Dec 23, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson stands on the sideline in the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

Shock waves rippled across the NBA overnight from Saturday to Sunday after the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks pulled off a blockbuster trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis that nobody saw coming.

The Mavs unloaded their young superstar, Doncic, to LA, along with Maxi Kleber and Markeiff Morris or Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers 2029 first-round pick in a league-altering move. In the hours that followed players and team officials from around the association reacted to the trade both publicly and via social media.

As fate would have it, the Mavericks brass were finalizing the deal from a hotel in Cleveland as they prepared to play the Cavaliers on Sunday. Which set the stage for coaches of both teams to react to the deal for the first time ahead of their matchup.

Unlike the wave of shocking reactions that engulfed social media from fans and players, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson had a much different reaction.

"Used to this...Used to it," Atkinson said. "Like if I was two years in the league I probably wouldn't be as surprised so nothing surprises me anymore. Really wasn't that surprised, just to be honest."

Unlike most of us, Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson says he wasn't surprised by the Luka Doncic-AD trade. pic.twitter.com/nNTnwCLpBZ

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) February 2, 2025

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd echoed Atkinson in his understanding that it's part of the business. But that doesn't mean the move didn't provide some initial shock value.

"I think just in shock," Kidd said describing his immediate when he learned of the trade. "But unfortunately I've been in this league for a long, long time, so I've seen a lot. I've been involved in trades by the Mavericks, and so it is part of the business."

Kidd did make it clear from the outset of the press conference that he was "aligned" with general manager Nico Harrison's vision for the team following this move. Curiously though, he did reveal that he only learned the trade was going down in the 11th hour of negotiations.

"It is a little shocking, but in the sense we have to push forward as a organization, as a team," said Kidd. 'We have a game to play and we have to be pros about it, but we understand what Luca has meant to the Mavericks and we wish him and his family the best in LA and also Maxi and Smooth, but we have to push forward and we believe we have a team that can do that."

Pushing forward begins immediately for the Mavs, who visit the Cavaliers this afternoon with a hodgepodge lineup that won't include either of the team's new additions, along with majority of their regular starters including Kyrie Irving (shoulder), P.J. Washington (knee) and Daniel Gaford (ankle).