On Feb. 2 at midnight, sports fans around the world received unthinkable news: the sudden trading of generational talent and 5x NBA All-Star Luka Dončić. Despite leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA finals just seven months prior, the 25-year-old was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving fans, players and ownership in disbelief. Though shocking, the deal reinforced a brutal truth about professional sports — they are, above all else, a business.

   Since 2000, the volume of trades in the “Big Four” (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) has remained fairly constant. However, the magnitude of these deals has skyrocketed, with high-profile players being dealt at an increasingly frequent rate.

   In professional leagues where roughly 40% of revenue — $4.5 billion in the NBA — stems from merchandising, ticket sales and sponsorships (Visual Capitalist), the movement of star players can result in significant financial gains. The trade of Dončić, a player in the prime of his career, was no exception. According to Yahoo! Sports, the superstar’s Lakers gold jersey sold out in under 48 hours on Fanatics, generating millions for both the franchise and the NBA. Additionally, the average ticket price for Lakers home and away games has surged by 19% since the deal — a clear display of the skyrocketing demand to watch, what many are calling, the “Luka Lakers.”

   Senior basketball captain Neil Mathow was lying in bed when he first got the update from ESPN Insider Shams Charania. Initially, he thought the deal was fake, but after opening Instagram and seeing several posts pop up on his feed, he knew it was a reality. 

   “I thought Shams was hacked,” Mathow said. “Even after it was confirmed, I still couldn’t believe it. You never expect to see a star, let alone a top 3 player in the league, being traded in his prime.”

   Not only were fans like Mathow caught off guard, but several NBA stars — including former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star Bam Adebayo — voiced their opinions on X, realizing that not even the league’s best players could feel secure in their current situations.

   For professional athletes, a team is more than just a job; it impacts entire families. Every time players are traded, families buy new homes, children change schools and players must adjust to entirely new environments — all in an instant.

   While the nature of being a professional is unpredictable, athletes must rely on the teammates and organization around them in order to perform at the highest level. Gaining trust in a locker room is a common characteristic of championship rosters, and nobody knows that better than Orlando Magic Assistant Coach Jesse Mermuys, who has worked in the NBA for over 17 years.

   “At the Magic, we work to build a culture that extends from the players, to the coaches, to the trainers, to the fans, all the way down to management,” Mermuys said. “Team chemistry is of the utmost importance, and it shows on the court just as much as off of it. We’re a really tight-knit group, and that starts with trusting your brother next to you.”

   For many fans, watching their favorite players leave a franchise is difficult — not only because of their impact on the team, but also because of the character they display off the court. In multi-billion dollar industries like the NBA, where a franchise’s identity is deeply connected to community outreach, players often form strong bonds with the cities they represent. For instance, the Luka Dončic Foundation in Dallas organized countless youth basketball camps, hosted local children at the Mavericks games and organized seasonal food collections for the holidays. When traded, the city of Dallas didn’t only lose a remarkable player, but an even better neighbor.

   “I saw a video of fans [in Dallas] holding a fake funeral for Luka, with a casket and all,” Mathow said. “For these people, losing him was like losing a family member.”

   While the blockbuster deal wasn’t the first time a superstar was traded in professional sports, its unexpected timing left fans stunned. The shock only intensified when Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison defended the decision by citing concerns about Dončić’s conditioning and weight maintenance. The rapid shift from celebrating Dončić as the “franchise player” to questioning his commitment sparked heated controversy, leaving many feeling betrayed. Yet, for every heartbroken fan in Dallas, there’s a young Lakers fan proudly wearing a gold jersey, dreaming of a 17th championship. This duality is exactly what makes professional sports both thrilling and heartbreaking — and what fuels the industry’s multi-billion dollar valuation. 

   While the trade was incredibly challenging for Dončić, who purchased a $15 million home in Dallas jus hit days before the deal, Mermuys believes that adversity ignites a fire in the best players — and expects Dončić to be no exception.

   “There’s always going to be movement in the league, it’s the nature of the game,” Mermuys said. “How you respond to those difficult situations is what separates the good from the great. Are you going to let the [tough times] affect you, or are you going to work harder to prove people wrong?”