The Los Angeles Lakers' trade for six-time NBA All-Star Luka Doncic surprised many in the basketball community, with Jeanie Buss revealing the behind-the-scenes efforts to keep the deal confidential. During an episode of 'Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova,' Buss explained that discussions began when the Dallas Mavericks expressed interest in trading Doncic for Lakers star Anthony Davis. To prevent Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban from blocking the trade, the Lakers executed a careful strategy to keep negotiations private. Buss noted that even key players like Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James were unaware of the trade until it was finalized. Doncic had an impressive season, leading the NBA in scoring with 33.5 points per game, and averaged 8.3 assists and 7.8 rebounds. The Lakers currently lead their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Friday. Additionally, Buss discussed the recent sale of the Lakers' controlling interest to Mark Walter for about $10 billion, the highest valuation for a U.S. professional sports franchise, while the Buss family retains a 15% minority share.