LeBron James’ Lakers Group Chat the Night of the Luka–AD Trade Revealed

Nearly a year after the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas and brought Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, new details are shedding light on how LeBron James and his son Bronny learned the news.

In a new book by sportswriter Yaron Weitzman, the moment is described as one of the most surreal nights in recent NBA history. According to Weitzman, Bronny James—now both LeBron’s son and Lakers teammate—was the first to share Shams Charania’s viral tweet announcing the trade in the team’s group chat that February evening.

The news stunned players, many of whom initially thought Charania’s account had been hacked. A trade of that magnitude had seemed impossible, even in a league known for unpredictable moves.

Anthony Davis’s response reportedly captured the disbelief felt across the locker room. “Did these n—– just trade me?” he wrote, before wishing his teammates luck and leaving the chat.

NBA Star LeBron James Group Chat With Anthony Davis Night Of Luka Dončić Trade Leaked

LeBron James’s reaction was equally blunt. He replied with three letters—“WTF”—summarizing the confusion and shock that followed. The revelation, corroborated by The New York Post, offers a glimpse into how even NBA superstars experience the unpredictability of modern sports.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves later described the scene as chaotic and emotional. He recalled thinking Davis was joking when the message appeared, only to realize moments later that the trade was real. The group chat, he said, “blew up” as players scrambled to process what had just happened.

The deal sent shockwaves through the league. The pairing of Dončić with LeBron in Los Angeles and the end of Davis’s tenure with the Lakers. For LeBron and Bronny, it marked a rare father-son experience in professional sports. It is defined not only by shared victories but also by shared upheaval.

Weitzman’s account underscores how technology, family, and fame intersect in the NBA’s digital age. Even for a player as seasoned as LeBron James, the night revealed that no one is immune to the emotional chaos of a league built on change.