The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for superstar guard Luka Doncic will forever go down as one of the most shocking trades in the history of sports. It completely changed the trajectory of two NBA franchises and while many were unhappy at the Lakers somehow acquiring another player to lead this franchise for many years, the league itself may be benefitting from it.
Throughout the beginning of the season, there was a lot of conversation about the state of the game as a whole amidst declining ratings. This peaked at the All-Star break where many blasted the league for its efforts at revamping the All-Star Game and again conversations continued about low ratings.
But post All-Star, things completely turned around as interest in the league seemed to pick up big time and ratings increased greatly. And in an interview on The Pat McAfee Show, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned the Doncic trade as one of the reasons why:
"Post All-Star weekend the ratings picked up a lot and you saw tremendous competition around the league..
A bunch of things happened in the NBA that generated a lot of interest" ~ Adam Silver #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/b7e2ImhnOs
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 17, 2025
It may seem like hyperbole to credit one single trade for having that much impact, but there is no doubt that many fans tuned in to Lakers games worldwide to see Doncic with his new team. From his debut in purple and gold to his first game against his former team, intriguing matchups against the likes of the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder and, of course, his return to Dallas, were absolute appointment viewing.
As the postseason neared, the excitement around the NBA as a whole continued to grow, especially in the Western Conference where the standings were so tight that every game mattered. Silver mentioned this as well as stars, for the most part, being healthy as factors as well, but there is no doubt that the Lakers trading for Luka provided a much-needed boost.
Luka Doncic posts Lakers hype video as playoffs near
With the playoffs almost here the excitement is continuing to grow and that isn’t just for the fans, but the players themselves. Luka Doncic recently showed that off by posting a Lakers hype video ahead of the start of their first round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The video featured highlights not just of Doncic and fellow stars LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but also role players like Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt. Needless to say, the Lakers superstar guard is ready to get this postseason going.
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