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[Saba Sports News] Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Jazz played a role as a third team in facilitating the deal, which saw the Dallas Mavericks part ways with their franchise star.
During a local TV broadcast of last Wednesday’s game between the Lakers and Mavericks, Zanik openly discussed the trade—and may have inadvertently revealed how many NBA executives truly feel about it.
“Rob Pelinka even said it in his press conference introducing Luka that it was a gift,” Zanik said. “And I think that’s how a lot of my colleagues— I don’t want to speak for them, but that’s how we all kind of felt.”
Zanik was careful to acknowledge that Dallas had its reasons for making the move. “But Nico [Harrison] and Dallas, they do a great job. They obviously had their reasons—wanting to improve the defense, and obviously getting a top-15 player in return—they decided that was in their best interest.”
His comments align with the general sentiment around the league. Many were stunned by the trade, with one current player even calling it “highway robbery” for the Lakers. The skepticism surrounding the deal was so strong that NBA commissioner Adam Silver had to address a conspiracy theory about it.
While Anthony Davis, who was part of the trade package, remains an elite player, he turns 32 next month and has a history of injury issues. Meanwhile, Doncic, at just 25 years old, is widely considered one of the top five players in the NBA.
As for the Jazz, they acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and some second-round picks in exchange for helping balance salaries. Zanik also revealed that Utah had little insight into the full details of the trade when they agreed to their part in the deal.