Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade happened without super-agent Rich Paul’s knowledge: “99.9% of the time, I’m going to know”

Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul revealed that he was amongst the many in the dark about the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade.

Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade happened without super-agent Rich Paul’s knowledge: “99.9% of the time, I’m going to know”

Rich Paul was not aware of Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade

This February marked one of the most eventful trade deadlines of all time. However, the highlight of the deadline was definitely the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The trade blindsided almost everyone in the NBA as it came totally out of the blue. As it turns out, the trade was so unexpected that NBA super-agent Rich Paul had no idea about it either.

Paul, the founder of Klutch Sports and the representative for both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, is known for being heavily involved in the career moves of his clients. He has close relationships with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. Nevertheless, the agent had no idea the trade was happening until it was official, as he revealed on the Gil’s Arena podcast.

99.9% of the time, I’m going to know what’s going on. The one time I didn’t was the one time we all didn’t… I’m glad I didn’t know because it probably wouldn’t have happened if I did know… It was a shock to everybody… the destination wasn’t really a shock. The timing of it was a shock, and who was involved was a shock.

Rich Paul said during an appearance on Gil’s Arena
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His admission that he was left out of the loop is one of the biggest surprises in the aftermath of the deal. For someone of Rich Paul’s stature to miss out on such a major trade is almost unheard of. His job revolves around ensuring his clients are in the best possible situations, and typically, he would be involved in discussions regarding any major move.

Had Paul been aware of the trade negotiations, Anthony Davis would have likely had conversations with him about the decision before it happened. LeBron James, a longtime Klutch Sports client and arguably the most influential player in the league, would have impacted it as well. But this time, things moved differently as Pelinka and Harrison looked to move in complete silence about the workings of the trade.

Rich Paul reveals if Luka Doncic’s addition will extend LeBron James’ career

With Luka Doncic now in Los Angeles, one of the biggest talking points has been how this trade impacts LeBron James. The 40-year-old is still playing at an elite level, but it’s no secret that ‘Father Time’ is approaching. Many believe that having a superstar like Doncic alongside him could extend James’ career. When asked about this possibility on Gil’s Arena, Rich Paul had an interesting answer.

I would say this is uncharted territory for us. There has never been someone this late in his career playing at this level, to have that be a decision to be made, right? That’s tough. I can say to you mentally, you want to play competitive basketball. Nothing is going to guarantee a championship anyway no matter what team you’re on.

Rich Paul said during an appearance on Gil’s Arena

Paul’s answer was carefully worded and for good reason. While the Doncic trade does provide LeBron James with an opportunity to compete at a high level for a few more years, it doesn’t guarantee success. The NBA is as competitive as ever. Even with Doncic in the mix, the Lakers will have a dog in the fight for the Larry O’Brien for several years.

After all, with the Slovenian superstar assuming more of the playmaking and scoring burden, James wouldn’t have to exert himself as much on a nightly basis. For a player of James’ stature, playing competitive and meaningful basketball is all that matters. That’s exactly what the addition of Doncic to the Lakers will do. Whether or not it extends his career, however, is a different question.