The unthinkable has just happened! The Dallas Mavericks have traded their potentially generational superstar, Luka Doncic, just half a season after he led them to the NBA Finals. I do not believe it is hyperbolic to say this is the most surprising and shocking sports news of my lifetime. I will be breaking down my thoughts on both sides of this trade. For there to be no rumors or mention of this happening is absolutely absurd! As more time passes I am sure I will have more (and more cohesive) thoughts but these are my pure and raw first reactions to the trade of a lifetime. Please comment your thoughts on this blockbuster down below!
FULL TRADE DETAILS
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
Dallas Mavericks receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 1st
Utah Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, LAC 2025 2nd, DAL 2025 2nd
DALLAS MAVERICKS
The most shocking thing here is that the Mavs APPROACHED the Lakers about trading Luka Doncic. Off the bat this trade seems like organizational malpractice. Luka Doncic is the greatest player to ever be traded who didn't request a trade. The Mavericks reportedly believe AD gives them "championship level defense" and had concerns about paying Luka the Supermax this offseason. Lots to unpack here. First off, this trade does not make you better in the short-term enough to merit this trade. I think one could argue that for this season and this season alone the Mavs have a more cohesive roster construction following the trade. But AD is almost 32, Kyrie is 32. They do not have a ton of years left at playing at an elite level. In my opinion they traded away their entire future to stay at the same level of competitiveness in the here and now.
The return they got for Luka, who has been in MVP conversations from the minute he entered the league, is abysmal. The Mavs could have gotten anything for Luka and they simply got a bleak return. With the trade inflation we have seen in recent years it is mind boggling how the Mavericks only came away with one first round pick. In this economy we have seen the likes of Rudy Gobert, Dejounte Murray, and Mikal Bridges go for quite a lot more. I truly cannot fathom at all any argument about why this deal was good for the Mavericks. I believe they will regret this for maybe a near decade. You hardly ever get the chance to have a talent like Doncic, and they got rid of him for pennies. Reportedly, Doncic was not warned about the deal. I also think it is a bad look for an organization to completely stun their franchise player and this may be looked at negatively in the future for other players looking to join the Mavericks.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
I think the Lakers are the winners of the trade. I can't imagine their surprise when they picked up the call and were being offered Luka Doncic. If you are the Lakers you immediately say yes. Apparently there has been some angst amongst the organization and AD following his recent interview where he subliminally questioned the front office and their ability to build a championship level roster. All of this apparently brewed up the perfect storm to acquire a player who they hope will continue the Laker legacy for the next decade plus.
Their new lineup is funky with Luka and LeBron both being dominant ball handlers and their already underwhelming front court depth becoming even worse. I think we see the Lakers make another move, as I do not think you can run out hoping to win a championship with a combination of Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Christian Koloko at the 5 spot. But they set themselves up brilliantly for the post LeBron era by acquiring the player who many have compared to LeBron. Luka at his best is one of the single best basketball minds the ever walk this planet and the Lakers hope to completely untap his potential. I can see there being some speed bumps with the gelling of the roster, but this is simply something the Lakers couldn't refuse. They really didn't have to sacrifice much at all, especially considering the type of talent they acquired.
One sneaky thing I wonder...is the next Lakers move a LeBron trade?
UTAH JAZZ
Absolutely insignificant.
Considering Luka was pushing 270 pounds, I could see why the mavs were worried about his condition, however, the guy is 6’-7” and regardless, an mvp caliber type of player will produce. I absolutely dislike this trade and believe the mavs will regret this for years to come. Defense does win championships but this move is certainly not it. Not to mention they were sneaky about it, I no longer trust this franchise. (This is coming from a mavericks fan)
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