“I thought it was fake news. It’s insane.” this is what Giannis Antetokounmpo had to say when the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Well, didn’t we all think it was fake at first. Swapping a Top-5 player for an aging, injury-prone Anthony Davis? That never made sense for the Mavericks. So when Shams Charania dropped the bombshell trade report, fans weren’t buying it.

His replies were a mess, with people convinced he had been hacked. Honestly, at that moment, it felt like the only way to explain such a wild trade rumor coming out of nowhere. Shams Charania has finally broken his silence on how he reported the Luka Dončić trade, and the backstory is just as wild as the deal itself. While speaking on The Young Man and The Three podcast, he shared something which he has never had to say before.

NBA content creator Kenny Beecham joked about how unbelievable the news seemed at the time, saying, “Like, the real deal, but I’m still spamming your Twitter account. Like, put a bit. I need you visually to say.”

Charania responded, explaining how even confirming the report felt strange. “Even though for me, it’s like I said yes, this is real. Like, I was trying to, like, because even to say, yes, this is real.”

Beecham pushed back, pointing out how skepticism lingered. “But even a hacker could say it’s real.”

Charania admitted the situation was unlike anything he had dealt with before. “I know, well,” he said before another guest chimed in, highlighting how unique this moment was. “It’s funny, though, because you’ve never said that about any. You’ve never had any other.”

“I don’t think I ever will have to. I think that was. That’s gonna be a standalone for a while,” Charania agreed.

Charania has built a reputation for delivering breaking news with incredible speed and accuracy, making him one of the most trusted insiders in the NBA. His updates shape conversations among fans, teams, and executives. But even with his near-flawless track record, the Dončić trade report was so shocking that fans refused to believe it—many were convinced his account had been hacked.

But even the NBA insider himself struggled to piece together what was happening.

“It was a Saturday night right after the Knicks-Lakers game in New York. The Lakers won, big win for the Lakers,” Charania recalled. “I was just really preparing for my flight to Bristol the next morning because it was a big trade deadline week and obviously the De’Aaron Fox trade was heavy on my mind. Jimmy Butler getting traded was heavy on my mind.”

At around 11:05 p.m., he got what he described as “a tip.” Initially, he assumed it was related to a previous discussion he had heard between the Lakers and Mavericks, which seemed like a dead end. “A few days prior, Wednesday, I had heard that the Lakers and Mavs were talking about a trade about a specific player. That player was not involved in the ultimate deal. It was clearly a great smokescreen.”

Expecting another routine trade piece to fall into place, Charania started gathering details. But the more he dug, the stranger it got. “You hear about one player, obviously it wasn’t Luka or AD,” he said. “You hear about this player getting traded here. Okay, interesting. Digging more and more, by person two or three, you know, I hear Hood-Schifino is going to Utah, it’s a three-team trade, uh, Markieff Morris going to Lakers, too, and Maxi Kleber.”

Yet, despite gathering all these puzzle pieces, he still couldn’t see the full picture. “I’m picking all these pieces apart, and I’m like, what’s the trade?”

The secrecy surrounding the deal had even one of the NBA’s most well-connected insiders struggling to make sense of it. What seemed like a routine late-night tip quickly turned into one of the most shocking trade stories in recent memory.

But now, with the dust settled, the Mavericks are facing another major decision—how to handle their injured stars as the postseason approaches.

The Mavericks plan for Anthony Davis to get on the hardwood as soon as possible

Despite rumors about shutting down key players, the Mavericks have no plans to sideline Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, or Daniel Gafford, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend. If they recover while Dallas stays in the play-in race, they’ll be on the court.

This goes against recent reports suggesting the team should prioritize long-term health, considering their already depleted roster. Guard Dante Exum highlighted how crucial timing is. “We know how good we can be when everyone’s healthy,” he said. “But that’s one of the big things about the NBA: timing. Timing is everything.”

Davis is rehabbing an adductor strain, and Lively is recovering from a stress fracture. Both could return before the season ends if the team decides it’s worth the risk. Gafford, dealing with an MCL sprain, was initially expected back in six weeks, but his timeline remains unclear.

Injuries aren’t just a frontcourt issue—Kyrie Irving and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are also sidelined, making Dallas’ playoff push even tougher. With key players in and out of the lineup, the Mavs have a tough call ahead: go all-in on the postseason or take the safer route and focus on the future.