The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade has generated strong reactions across the NBA community. Basketball legends have weighed in on the deal, which sends Doncic to the Lakers and Davis to the Mavericks. Magic Johnson, in particular, voiced his excitement over Doncic’s move to Los Angeles.

In one of his tweets in X (formerly Twitter), Magic Johnson compared Luka Doncic joining the Lakers to Shohei Ohtani signing with the Dodgers, stating, “Luka Doncic going to the Lakers is amazing for the NBA, just like Shohei Ohtani was when we signed him to the Dodgers! I want to congratulate Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss and GM Rob Pelinka for bringing Luka Doncic to LA to play for our beloved Lakers!”

Magic Johnson’s reaction to Luka Doncic joining the Lakers

In another tweet, Johnson praised the impact Doncic will have on the Lakers but unintentionally seemed to take a slight jab at the 25-year-old Slovenian. “Luka Doncic will definitely make the Lakers a championship-contending team. He’ll take pressure off of LeBron because of his scoring ability and playmaking and will make every Laker better! LeBron James will be a positive influence on Luka, teaching him his championship mentality that includes taking his conditioning seriously,” said Johnson in his tweet.

Johnson’s remark indirectly alludes to reports that the Mavericks had concerns about the Slovenian guard’s conditioning, which allegedly made them hesitant about committing to a supermax contract later this year.

The Lakers legend with extensive experience as both a player and executive, also expressed surprise at the deal on the same day it was reported.

“I’ve been associated with the NBA for 45 years and this Luka and AD trade is the biggest trade I’ve seen between two superstars essentially in their prime!” said Johnson. “With Luka, the Lakers are getting a 25 year old superstar; this is a great long-term move for the Lakers franchise after LeBron retires,” said Johnson.

For Johnson, a five-time NBA champion with 13 seasons in the league, calling the Doncic-Davis trade the biggest he has ever witnessed underscores the magnitude of the deal.

Luka joining other Lakers legends

The Lakers, who were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of last season’s playoffs, currently hold the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 28-19 record through 47 games.

Doncic joins a storied lineage of Lakers guards and wings, including Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. At 25—turning 26 on February 28—he has the potential to lead the franchise for the next decade and elevate his legacy by securing an NBA championship.

Luka Doncic is putting up 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this season. He topped the league in scoring last year with 33.9 points per game, steering a struggling Mavericks team to the NBA Finals.

The Newest Lakers superstar currently ranks third all-time in NBA regular season scoring average, just behind Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain and second all-time in playoff scoring average behind only Jordan.