Kevin Durant believes the "insane" trade to send Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks could reshape the NBA landscape.

On Saturday, reports emerged that the Mavs were sending Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles in exchange for Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick.

The Utah Jazz were also included so the trade would meet NBA salary rules, and they will receive guard Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers and a draft pick from Dallas.

Doncic, who was NBA Rookie of the Year in 2019 and has earned All-Star honours on five occasions, has averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 2024-25.

The 25-year-old has been sidelined since Christmas Day due to a calf injury, but he is considered by many to be the most valuable player at the point of being traded in league history. 

Speaking shortly after the news broke, following the Phoenix Suns' defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers, Durant said the trade will motivate other teams to make massive moves.

"This has got to be the biggest trade I've seen since I've been in the league or since I've been watching the sport," Durant said. "This is insane.

"It's crazy, crazy. I never would have thought Luka Doncic would get traded at this age. Mid-season. NBA is a wild place, man. If he can get traded, then anybody's up for grabs.

"You start seeing stuff like that, as an organization, you might get a little more courage to do some stuff."

After the news broke, Lakers icon LeBron James hit out at suggestions of a rift between himself and Davis, calling one such report from CBS a "lie" in a post on X.

You a fkn lie!!!  https://t.co/EYNRUbUFmj

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 2, 2025

Doncic could have signed a five-year supermax extension worth over $345million this offseason, but according to ESPN, the Mavericks had major concerns about moving forward with him due to his conditioning issues.

Davis, meanwhile, has met the league's 65-game award requirement just once in the last seven years, playing 76 times last term. He is currently out with an abdominal injury.

Durant believes the trade shows that players and organizations are held to different standards when it comes to loyalty.

"Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program, but the organizations don't get held to that same standard from the outside," he said.