EAST LANSING: It was the tweet heard around the world. On the night of Feb. 2, the NBA was rocked by a blockbuster trade that sent Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a shocking three-team deal centered around Anthony Davis.
The trade immediately sent shockwaves through the basketball world and was deemed one of the most significant trades in sports history. Even ESPN insider Shams Charania- who broke the news- initially questioned whether the news was real.
For the Lakers, this trade instantly turns them into the team to beat in the West. At just 25 years old, Doncic is already considered a potential hall-of-fame talent and pairing him with LeBron James gives the Lakers one of the most dangerous duos in recent NBA history.
This move not only extends their immediate championship window but also sets them up for sustained success after adding a superstar who has yet to even reach his prime. The prospect of a Dončić-led Lakers team for the foreseeable future sends a chill through the rest of the league, especially in a conference already brimming with rising contenders like the Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies, and Timberwolves.
What’s even more impressive is how the Lakers managed to pull it off. Despite acquiring one of the league’s top talents, they managed to keep key youngsters like Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht, giving up only Max Christie and a single first-round pick alongside Davis. In essence, they pulled off a heist.
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has come under heavy scrutiny on social media—and for good reason. How do you only contact one team about Dončić’s availability, and how do you not maximize the return for one of the NBA’s marquee talents? If Rudy Gobert can go for four first round picks, and Mikal Bridges goes for five, Dončić should have netted six first rounders at the very least.
That said, the disdain from Mavs fans over this trade may be slightly overblown. Anthony Davis is still an All-NBA talent, and the roster is more than capable of competing in the Western Conference.
At 32, Davis will form a potent duo with fellow 32-year-old (guard) Kyrie Irving, but with Irving set to hit free agency this summer, the long-term outlook is uncertain. While Davis fits better alongside Irving than Dončić would, Dallas has a solid win-now squad, though the long-term ramifications don’t outweigh the immediate benefit.
If this acquisition had happened back in 2018 or 2019, the Mavericks would’ve been called a super team. Now? They’re left with a collection of players whose best years are likely behind them.
Sure, there were concerns about Dončić’s conditioning—he’s 6-foot-7 and nearly 270 pounds. However, even if his body doesn’t hold up long-term, a few more elite years from Dončić should be enough to help the Lakers secure their 19th championship.
Davis, a former No. 1 pick who has struggled with injuries throughout his career—playing 65+ games just once during his six seasons in the City of Angels—leaves behind a spot that’s ripe for Dončić to step into as the new centerpiece in LA. If Irving also leaves Dallas this summer, Davis could find himself in a tough spot in the Lone Star State, unlikely to add another championship ring to his mantle.
Dončić, who ranked sixth in jersey sales with Dallas, will now see his move to Los Angeles skyrocket NBA ratings and elevate his global brand to new heights. Much like Shohei Ohtani’s arrival with the Dodgers transformed the MLB, Luka’s trade to LA has the potential to spark a new wave of international attention for the NBA, helping to reverse the league’s declining domestic ratings.
Though he loses out on a potential five-year, $345 million supermax contract, Dončić is arguably the biggest winner in this deal. The Lakers are now poised to be contenders for years to come, and it’s clear that GM Rob Pelinka has kept the Lakers’ championship window wide open well beyond James’ eventual retirement.
