Luka Doncic Trade Analysis: Lakers Shine with A+ as Mavericks Stumble
A deep dive into the blockbuster trade between the Lakers and Mavericks involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis, revealing the implications for both teams.
The modern NBA is built on drama and there’s no more fertile ground for wild stuff to happen than the days leading up to the trade deadline. But absolutely nobody could’ve seen this coming: The Lakers and Mavericks have agreed to a three-way trade with Utah that sends Anthony Davis to Dallas and … brace yourself … Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. Yes, Luka Doncic will now play for the Lakers alongside LeBron James.
While you’re digesting that, here are the full details of the deal:
- Lakers get: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris
- Mavericks get: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick
- Jazz get: Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 second-round pick via the Los Angeles Clippers and the Mavericks’ 2025 second-round pick
Lakers: A+
There’s no other way to look at this. Factoring in both age and production, the Lakers just scored what is probably the most coveted basketball player in the world not named Victor Wembanyama. Doncic is only 25 years old. To land a player this good and this young in a trade is absolute bonkers. You honestly might never see a score again like this in your lifetime.
It almost doesn’t even matter how Luka and LeBron will pair together… the short-term implications of this deal aren’t nearly as important as what this does for them long-term, assuming they lock up Doncic on a max deal as soon as humanly possible.
Mavericks: F
So here’s the weird thing: I truly believe the Mavericks are better positioned to win a championship with Anthony Davis, assuming full postseason health, than they are with Luka Doncic… today. Right now. And yet they still get an F because you just can’t trade Luka Doncic, not unless your hand is forced.
Marc Stein reports:
“Luka Dončić did NOT request a trade, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.
The Mavericks did this on their own accord, getting back Anthony Davis but only one future first-round pick from the Lakers in 2029 for a 25-year-old regarded as a future MVP.”
In two years, when Davis is 34 and Kyrie is 35 and Doncic is off winning MVPs, they are going to wake up some morning in a cold sweat wondering what the hell they did. Even if they actually do win the title, it will still be hard to justify this deal. This is ludicrous.
