ESPN’s Shams Charania broke huge NBA news late Saturday night when he reported that the Los Angeles Lakers sent 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for five-time All-Star Luka Dončić late Saturday night.
The deal came so out of nowhere that there was a common question asked by NBA insiders and players alike. Was Shams hacked?
While sharing the breaking news during Saturday night’s SportsCenter, ESPN’s Phil Murphy brought that possibility up, though he quickly dispelled it.
“We’re gonna try and dial up Shams to make sure he didn’t get hacked,” Murphy said. “This has been confirmed, though.
“We’re gonna try and dial up Shams to make sure he didn’t get hacked. This has been confirmed, though.”
Phil Murphy after reporting the Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis blockbuster on SportsCenter. pic.twitter.com/Y1dPYjvKxe
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2025
He was not alone. NBA media members and players alike had a similar reaction.
Nah shams gotta be hacked 💀
— Alex Caruso (@ACFresh21) February 2, 2025
Shams got hacked?
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) February 2, 2025
I am 99.99% still convinced that this still isn’t real… Shams has to be hacked, right?
If, for some chance it is real, this is hands down the most confusing, insane, blockbuster trade in NBA history
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) February 2, 2025
Shams wasn’t hacked!? This is real!? What the &$#$@* https://t.co/HzGvBGRq9Z
— Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) February 2, 2025
Was Shams hacked….?! https://t.co/Ns5JNHklQj
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) February 2, 2025
I genuinely believed Shams was hacked. A trade of unfathomable proportions. One of the biggest in sports history. Literally unbelievable
— Joseph Casciaro (@JosephCasciaro) February 2, 2025
But as ESPN’s Bobby marks noted, it was not a hack.
Shams has not been hacked
This is real https://t.co/fnUgihd90A
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 2, 2025
In a follow-up post, which included the full trade, Charania even realized how shocking the news was, starting with “Yes, this is real.”
Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade:
– Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
– Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st
– Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd https://t.co/bltojdTaQj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
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