Seismic NBA Trade: Lakers and Mavericks Shock the World
The NBA world was sent into a social media frenzy late Saturday night. After the Los Angeles Lakers impressively defeated the New York Knicks, Rob Pelinka agreed on an absolutely stunning, out-of-nowhere trade. The Lakers acquired 25-year-old, five-time All-NBA team player Luka Dončić, including Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Dallas Mavericks for nine-time all-star Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick. The Utah Jazz also found themselves part of the deal, getting Jalen Hood-Schifino and two future second-round picks.
This blockbuster trade is already being labeled as the biggest trade in NBA history. It is very rare to see a young, perennial superstar like Dončić be moved via trade in the middle of a season. The Lakers moving from Davis is also a shock within itself. There were no rumors of this possibly happening and both of these star players were stunned to hear the news. LeBron James reportedly had no prior knowledge of this being in the works as well. Now that we have had nearly 24 hours to digest the trade, what did both teams really gain?
Looking at the Mavericks, the acquisition of Davis and Christie bolsters their defense. Davis is an All-Defensive team caliber player and is averaging two blocks per game. The most exciting part of this trade is Davis will finally get to play as a power forward. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are great centers to pair with Davis and can cause havoc for opposing teams. The Mavericks have officially pushed their chips all in for this season. Acquiring Davis is a win-now move and can pay off greatly. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison emphasized that this move helps them win now and in the future. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance,” Harrison said to ESPN. Davis will now be reunited with head coach Jason Kidd, who was a Lakers assistant coach when they won a title in 2020.
The Mavericks reportedly grew much concerned over Dončić’s health. He has been off the court since Christmas Day with a calf injury that he had previously injured in the preseason. Dončić was available to sign a super-max contract this offseason, but the Mavericks front office was hesitant to invest that much money into him, especially with how his health has been. Harrison makes the call to move on from a generational franchise player to get a vital championship run piece rather than possibly losing Dončić for nothing.
On the Lakers side, they have finally found someone who will hold the keys to the franchise after James. Dončić led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season and has been a continuous MVP candidate. This move provides the Lakers with a sense of direction for their future, something fans were worried about. Financially, the Lakers will be able to extend Dončić with it not being a super-max contract. With the additional cap space in future offseasons, the Lakers can pair Dončić with a co-star.
Focusing on the present, the Lakers, with Dončić and James on the floor, are going to showcase high offensive IQ. However, the Lakers are looking like a team with great defensive problems. Dončić is known for being a generational offensive talent but a liability on defense. Also, before this trade, the Lakers had a hole at the center position. That hole has now grown immensely with Davis being gone. Jaxson Hayes is expected to be the team's full-time starter. With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, expect the Lakers to aggressively be on the market for a big. The Lakers still have a first-round pick they can attach to a deal. Also, there are intriguing pieces like Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht that could attract teams to take a bite on a deal. If no move is made, the team's defense deficiency and lack of height in the frontcourt will be exposed in the playoffs.
Will the similar play styles of James and Dončić work out for the Lakers? Is Harrison’s gamble going to be worth it for the Mavericks? The answers to everyone’s questions will come as time goes by. For now, Davis and Dončić are both recovering from injuries but are both targeting returns before the All-Star Break for their new teams.
