At 9:12 PM on Saturday, February 1st, the basketball world was shaken as NBA Reporter and infamous news-breaker Shams Charania posted an unfathomable message to X. 25-year-old superstar Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris had been traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers for 31-year-old star big man Anthony Davis, a 2029 first-round pick, and guard Max Christie.
Dončić was believed to be the anchor of this Mavericks team, and he is widely regarded as one of, if not the best scorer in the Association. He led them to an NBA finals appearance last season, which they dropped to the Boston Celtics. The five-time all-star was a Maverick for life in many fan’s minds.
Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison and the Mavericks had concerns about Dončić’s conditioning, weight, and defensive ability, and also had contract concerns as the thought of Dončić asking for a supermax contract loomed. The Mavericks had asked Dončić to control his weight before the 2023 season, which he struggled to do.
The Lakers were allegedly the only team that the Mavericks approached about a trade involving the star guard, and Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd did not know about the trade until it happened. This raises the question of if Dallas could have gotten better value if they approached other teams, and the simple answer is yes, they could have. Dončić is 25 and only getting better, while Davis is 31. Davis continuing to play at a high level for years moving forward is unlikely.
Harrison has a simple justification for this move. “I believe that defense wins championships,” Harrison said. Dončić has been criticized for his lack of effort and ability to get it done on the defensive end since he entered the league, but his scoring ability is almost unmatched.
The perpetual MVP candidate Dončić is now playing hand-and-hand with possibly the greatest player of all time, Lebron James. James is 40 years old, and may not have much left in the tank. How this duo will work together is up for debate, but at his ripe age, James might be fine with giving some of his touches to the ever-dangerous Dončić.
Looking at the positives for the Mavericks, it is that Anthony Davis is still a phenomenal player. He is averaging 25.7 points per game on a 52.8% field goal percentage. He is also averaging 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.
The Mavericks also received a promising young player in Max Christie. Nico Harrison has high praise for the 21-year-old. “He doesn’t miss any games. He guards all the best 2-guards in the league. He’s durable. He gets his hands on a lot of balls. His shot is really nice. He’s bouncy. We’re excited about him. He’s going to help us,” Harrison said.
The Mavericks also have eight-time all-star veteran guard Kyrie Irving commanding the offense alongside five-time all-star veteran guard Klay Thompson in the backcourt. The Veteran experience of those 2, with Davis, forward PJ Washington, center Dereck Lively, and more solid bench players, can create a scary matchup for opposing NBA teams. The Mavericks will still be good, but losing a player like Luka Dončić is a huge blow to the morale of every Mavs fan.
This baffling move brought shock and uncertainty to the NBA community. Now, we do not know who is considered “untouchable” in trade talks, because Dončić would have been considered one of those guys by most fans before this trade.
