Sixers stunned by Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis blockbuster trade: ‘Anything can happen’

Guerschon Yabusele was watching a movie late Saturday when a friend interrupted with, “Hold up, breaking news from Shams [Charania].”

“I thought my [butt] was gone,” the 76ers big man told The Inquirer from his locker before Sunday’s 118-110 home loss to the Boston Celtics. “I’m telling the truth. I thought he was talking about me. I was like, ‘No [expletive] way.’”

A sigh of relief swept over Yabusele when his friend clarified that he was talking about the blockbuster overnight trade involving two of the NBA’s premier stars, sending Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. Yet the news still left Yabusele — and multiple Sixers teammates — stunned, mirroring the collective reaction from those in and around the league to the unprecedented deal that immediately becomes arguably the most shocking in NBA history.

That massive transactional splash — along with Sunday night’s reported three-team trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings — as the league marches toward Thursday afternoon’s trade deadline also served as a reminder of the “hard reality” of this stretch of the season.

“When this happened, I was like, ‘Anything can happen,’” Yabusele said of the Dončić-Davis swap. “The next four days are about to be … there’s about to be a lot going on, for sure.”

The trade understandably dominated conversation throughout the Wells Fargo Center prior to Sunday’s Sixers-Celtics matchup. It was the first question posed during Sixers coach Nick Nurse’s pregame news conference, where he said his immediate reaction was “probably like everybody else’s.” Celtics coach Joe Mazzula, meanwhile, nipped any inquiries about the topic as soon as he sat down, telling the group “Don’t ask about the trade, because I don’t really care.”

Several Sixers, at the very least, were immediately sucked in when news of the deal first popped. Because they could not believe their eyes.

Second-year wing Ricky Council IV found out about it through a text message from his brother, and instantly thought, “This can’t be right.” When he went to Instagram for confirmation, “I read it, probably, like five times in a row, to make sure I wasn’t seeing things,” he told The Inquirer.

Starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr. said he learned of the trade when the news got dropped in the Sixers’ group chat. He also acknowledged that this is when he starts keeping track of Charania’s social media accounts, “as everyone does,” because “it’s that time of the year.”

“It’s going to get real interesting,” Oubre said. “I ain’t got no comment on [the Dončić-Davis trade], because it ain’t got nothing to do with us over here. But at the end of the day, man, it’s the dominoes.”

» READ MORE: The Luka Dončić trade shocked everyone. Even the Sixers.

Veteran guard Reggie Jackson, meanwhile, was getting ready to play a video game when an ESPN alert crossed his cell phone. Then, his friend texted “Holy crap!” with no other context. Then, his partner FaceTimed him. Then, the chatter between the gamers “started going insane.”

Still, Jackson believed he would wake up Sunday and learn it was all a hoax.

“Did everybody get hacked?” Jackson told The Inquirer. “I was literally telling my mom. I’m like, ‘This is a conspiracy.’ I’m making up all types of things, [like], ‘Uh, oh, the world is about to end.’”

Though several NBA stars — such as Damian Lilliard, Kevin Durant, and former Sixers Ben Simmons and James Harden — have been dealt in recent years, those moves were all preceded by some sort of public trade request, or indication that the team was willing to part with the player. The same currently holds true for former Sixer Jimmy Butler, who, before this weekend, was viewed as the biggest name who could be dealt before Thursday’s deadline after being suspended for a second time by the Miami Heat. Rumors of a Fox deal to San Antonio had been percolating for days, and LaVine has been on the trade block for multiple seasons.

Yet there were no leaks that Dallas was pursuing trading Dončić — a 25-year-old maestro with the ball in his hands who has made five consecutive All-NBA first teams — until the deal was finalized.

Jackson believes this Lakers-Mavericks blockbuster is a result of the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which puts tighter restrictions on high-spending teams. Multiple reports in the aftermath of the trade indicated the Mavericks were concerned about committing a long-term supermax contract to Dončić, who has had issues with his conditioning throughout his career despite ascending to MVP-contender status and leading Dallas to the NBA Finals last season.

“It’s always interesting to see the first domino that happens due to any new policy,” Jackson said. “I think this is one of those that everybody was thrown off. I think this is a reflection on the new CBA. The deals you have to make, it’s going to be big names for big names and equal-type players. We’re used to people normally going for [draft] picks and future assets.”

This trade also coincidentally arrived in the middle of both Western Conference teams’ only visit to Philly this season. Davis’ final game as a Laker turned out to be last Tuesday, when he left his former team’s loss to the Sixers in the first quarter with an abdominal strain. That injury is likely to prevent Davis from making his Mavericks debut on Tuesday, when the Sixers host Dallas.

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey already has nine 40-point games. Only Allen Iverson had more for the Sixers by age 25.

This move could also impact the Sixers’ deadline possibilities, as the Lakers and Mavericks were regarded as potential contenders to acquire an additional big man such as Yabusele or Andre Drummond.

That’s why the immediate reaction of Yabusele — who acknowledged, “Of course, I hear the rumors” — reveals the human-nature side of this uncertain period of the season. He was relieved that Saturday’s late-night breaking news did not involve him. Following his pal’s clarification, Yabusele responded with, “Don’t do that. Everybody’s stressing now.”

Yet when Yabusele stopped to absorb the real news, he still had an understandable response to arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history.

“You know something is crazy when players, coaches, even reporters, are surprised,” he said.