"The league feeds the Lakers": Jason Whitlock connects Luka Doncic's trade to NBA's "shady" business practices 

Late Saturday night, the NBA world was turned on its head after news of the Lakers acquiring Luka Doncic in a trade came out. In the midst of the hysteria following this massive blockbuster move, analyst Jason Whitlock shared his thoughts about the Lakers and the NBA.

The trade was so stunning that many thought NBA Insider Shams Charania's X account had been hacked when he broke the news. Doncic is on his way to LA to unite with LeBron James, while Anthony Davis starts the next chapter of his career with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic can now be added to the long list of stars the Lakers have acquired over the years. While speaking about the trade on X (formerly Twitter), Jason Whitlock accused the NBA of constantly feeding star talent to LA:

"The league feeds the Lakers. As the NBA struggles to maintain domestic relevance, the latest trade is no surprise."

Whitlock also spoke about Mavericks president Nico Harrison, dubbing him a "fall guy" for the NBA. He connected this trade to Harrison's botched recruitment of Steph Curry during his Nike days.

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Luka Doncic trade falls on anniversary of another famous LA Lakers move

Jason Whitlock has built a conspiracy theory around the Lakers following the Luka Doncic trade. However, looking back through history, his argument could have some merit.

While he might not have been labeled a superstar, Pau Gasol was a high-level talent at his peak in the NBA. After starting his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, he was eventually dealt to LA to pair with Kobe Bryant. Ironically enough, that trade happened on the same date as the Doncic/AD mega-trade.

Trading for Gasol ended up paying immediate dividends for the Lakers. Alongside Kobe Bryant, he took the franchise to two straight championships in 2009 and 2010. Gasol would have an extended run in LA, playing there for more than six seasons before departing for the Chicago Bulls in 2014.

Years later, the Lakers will attempt to recreate the success of this past blockbuster. LeBron James might be 40 years old but he can still compete at a high level. With a young superstar running mate by his side, LA could make a mark in the coming years.

The league will have to be patient to see the new star duo together on court though, as Doncic still finds himself sidelined due to injury. He was last seen in action on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves.