It’s one thing to lean on a friendship for work, but another to use it to your full advantage, and that’s exactly what Lakers GM Rob Pelinka did when he pulled off the most shocking trade in NBA history: landing Luka Dončić. With Dallas GM Nico Harrison by his side, the two worked together to strike a three-team deal involving the Utah Jazz that sent Dončić to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. But the big question still lingers—did Pelinka really show all his cards to Nico?

On The Old Man and The Three show, Ryen Russillo of The Ringer suggested the whole thing almost felt like a scam. He explained how Rob Pelinka somehow convinced Nico Harrison to greenlight the trade, shockingly, over just a simple cup of coffee, with their shared history through Kobe Bryant playing a big role. Russillo put it bluntly: “And so a guy at probably his worst is the third or fourth best player in the world was traded after making what five first team All-NBA by 25 where Hall of Famers may not make it twice.”

As for Dallas’ reasoning behind parting ways with Luka, the front office reportedly believed the team’s winning chances were being hindered by his lack of conditioning on the defensive end, a direction the franchise was trying to prioritize. On top of that, frustration grew over Luka’s recurring weight issues, which they felt contributed to constant injuries, like the calf strain he picked up on Christmas Day in a loss to the Timberwolves.

Pelinka tapped into his GM instincts, almost gaslighting Nico, and pulled off what feels like the biggest heist in NBA history. Russillo broke it down perfectly: “And you know, it’s one thing to trade him. It’s it’s the other thing to not build a market for that kind of asset. And so this thing was- it was, it was almost as if Nico thought Pelinka was doing him the favor by keeping it quiet. When Pelinka’s probably in private moments going, I can’t f— believe we’re going to get this guy, but I’ll tell him like we’ve got to move fast when we, you know, don’t shop him because I may get cold feet.”

After the trade went through, reports claimed both sides agreed to keep the details quiet. The fear was simple: if the move backfired, Dallas could end up stuck with an unhappy superstar, something that could have blown up the entire franchise. Still, the shocking part remained: the Mavericks let go of their best player without really getting anything close to his value in return.

The reports revealed that the original framework of the deal actually had much more coming from the Lakers’ side. Two first-round picks and rookie Dalton Knecht were reportedly on the table, but Rob Pelinka managed to talk Nico Harrison into accepting a much lighter package. By painting Luka as a long-term risk- pointing to his weight issues, constant injuries, and off-court concerns.

Pelinka slowly chipped away at Dallas’ demands. Ultimately, Luka was exchanged for Davis, Max Christie, and Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick, while still holding on to their 2031 first-round pick.

Russillo called it “the worst trade in the history of the league because of what Luka is at that age…you have to build a market, and he didn’t want to do that.” Still, Pelinka quickly made up for it by locking Luka down with a three-year, $165 million contract extension this season, keeping him off the free-agent market next year. And we can thank the late Kobe Bryant for this deal even happening in the first place.

Nico Harrison’s friendship with Kobe Bryant shaped a historic trade

You might know Nico Harrison because of his executive role in the Mavericks, but his journey started way back in the 2000s when he was working closely with Kobe Bryant during his Nike days. Harrison was assigned the role of marketing liaison for Kobe to rebrand his image, but don’t be mistaken—Kobe didn’t trust him from the start.

It was Nico’s mentality and work ethic, which mirrored Kobe’s, that brought the two closer. Over time, this shared drive for excellence made them confidants of one another.

Their bond was more than just contracts and shoes. They went to two World Cups together, went on safaris in Africa, and shared countless other memories. But what Nico still remembers, like many others, is the impact Kobe had on people: the way he connected with kids and even made Nico’s daughters feel as if he were their friend.

Kobe made them and others feel important, seen, and heard, and Nico strove to bring that same nuance into himself. That ability to make anyone feel like the only person in the world left a lasting impression and was central to the strength of their friendship.

This connection eventually brought Nico and Pelinka close as well, since Pelinka had also worked with Kobe as his agent. The two GMs bonded over their shared respect and experiences with the late Lakers star. Kobe helped build their friendship beyond professional ties, that ultimately played a key role in making the historic Luka Dončić trade possible. Without the Kobe connection, the trust and timing between Pelinka and Harrison may never have existed, and the landmark deal might not have happened the way it did.