Los Angeles Lakers (DR) / Atlanta Hawks (DR)
By Mathieu Seguin | Sports editor
This Wednesday evening, while the Lakers were playing a complicated match without LeBron James, information suddenly reached the locker room: Trae Young was traded in the middle of a match. The former Atlanta figurehead headed to Washington, in a spectacular move notably involving CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
For Luka Dončić, this news could not be trivial. The two men remain forever linked by the 2018 draft, when their trajectories were sealed by a historic exchange. Questioned after the defeat against Spurs, the Slovenian first reacted with humor before delivering a more personal message.
“Is that why he was absent? I saw he wasn’t there.”he said jokingly, before adding more seriously: “We were traded for each other, so there was always a lot of discussion around me and him. But we have a good relationship, a lot of respect. If he’s excited for this new chapter, then I’m happy for him.”.
Two destinies linked since the 2018 draft
On the floor, Dončić delivered an XXL performance despite the defeat against Spurs. Author of an impressive triple-double with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, he once again carried the Lakers’ attack, even if his three-point skill remains at half-mast. This performance confirms how he has quickly established himself as the natural leader of his new franchise.
For his part, Trae Young is leaving Atlanta after years as the central face of the project. Hampered by injuries this season, he has only played around ten games, with declining statistics which do not really reflect his potential. At only 27 years old, the leader remains a player capable of transforming an attack, he who still led the league in assists last season.
The context of his departure adds to the uniqueness of the story. Young learned of his trade while still on the bench in a win over New Orleans. A quick goodbye to his teammates, then a discreet exit to the locker room, a symbol of the sometimes cold brutality of the NBA business.
With Dončić now based in Los Angeles and Young ready to relaunch in Washington, their paths continue to be written in parallel. Both remain top talents, capable of lastingly influencing the destiny of their respective franchises. The question is no longer who “won” the original exchange, but how each will bounce back in this new career chapter.
