Late Saturday night, it was announced that the Dallas Mavericks were trading Luka Doncic, Markieff Morris, and Maxi Kleiber to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick (The Utah Jazz were also involved for salary cap relief). This trade sent shockwaves through the NBA. Who won the trade? Who lost? Leave your comments below.
Mavs Ownership
Doncic, 25, was eligible to sign a 5-yr $345 million supermax contract extension with the team this off-season. However, with Mark Cuban no longer the Mavericks primary owner, the team had concerns about Doncic’s poor conditioning habits and sinking that much money into one player.
Neither Doncic nor the rest of the team was notified of the deal prior to it taking place.
Dallas made an overture to the Lakers ONLY to trade Luka. This has invited conspiracy theorists to wonder why only the Lakers had a chance to acquire him and no one else.
The Lakers always seem to add a star to their franchise
In the past, they have acquired Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, LeBron, and now Luka.
Dallas received Anthony Davis
Davis is one of the top players in the league but six years older than Doncic and someone who has been injury-prone, too.
Dallas also received young wing Max Christie and a first-round pick.
This seems exceptionally light, considering Mikal Bridges was just traded in the off-season from Brooklyn to the Knicks for FIVE first-round picks.
Trade Grade: Los Angeles Lakers: A+
To get Doncic in the prime of his career is about the best get that any team could have outside of getting Victor Wembanyama. LeBron still has 2-3 years left and he and Luka could win 1-2 championships in that time.
Trade Grade: Dallas Mavericks: D-
Davis, Christie, and a first-round pick is a good haul for almost anyone in the league except Doncic. Not calling around to other teams also feels very suspicious.
Trade Grade: Utah Jazz: Incomplete
The Jazz own the Lakers first-round pick in 2027 so it is unclear why they would do anything to help the Lakers succeed. There are conspiracy theorists who believe that their participation in this deal will give them a better chance to get the #1 overall draft pick in the 2025 draft, which would allow them to take Duke’s Cooper Flagg.
