Before you think to yourself that I’m writing this article for viewership, that’s incorrect. I truly believe the Dallas Mavericks won the Luka Doncic trade. Every article you read regarding the details and outcome of this trade will tell you the Los Angeles Lakers had a generational steal of a player with the caliber of Luka. From what I’ve read and discovered, when you look at the current moment and capability of Anthony Davis and Max Christie compared to Luka Doncic and the situation he’s dealt with in Los Angeles, every finger points to the Mavericks as the true winner of this trade.
LeBron is unfit for Luka Doncic
When we take a trip down memory lane with the teammates LeBron has had they’re all complimentary to his style of play. Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis. These are a few of the all star names LeBron has played with and each of them dominates in their respective aspect of basketball. LeBron on the other hand is a ball-dominant player who will shoot the majority of the shots for the team and lack a defensive effort while his teammates will make up for this. Does this sound similar to someone we know? Yes, it does, and that man is Luka Doncic.
Placing two ball-dominant players on the same roster will create a sense of separation between the two battling for who deserves the ball more. This has been perfectly exemplified by the Brooklyn Nets when they acquired Kevin Durant and James Harden or the Houston Rockets with prime Russell Westbrook and James Harden. You can’t get over the gap of winning a championship without the complimentary pieces to the best player themself.
Health Concerns/Luka’s ceiling as a player
Luka Doncic is said to have had conditioning issues within the past months. These consist of gaining weight where he shouldn’t be and lingering knee and ankle problems. Long-term durability is vital for a championship-winning roster and the General Manager doesn’t see Luka fitting this idea. There are three players in the NBA who I consider “irreplaceable”. These players are Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their qualities as a player far outshine Luka making them more deserving of a max contract. You then look at the young stars in Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero, Jalen Williams, Lamelo Ball, and many more. These players possess the trait of young age and health making them different then Luka. This then leaves Luka Doncic in his own boat.
The Mavericks were lined up to give Luka the supermax extension but with growing health concerns and a lack of defensive effort you have no other choice then to get rid of him. Nico Harrison is a believer in “defense wins championships” and getting rid of Luka and adding in a fantastic inside presence from Anthony Davis with enough capital to add more players come the offseason only makes sense for the future of Dallas.
Anthony Davis’s Immediate Impact
Since the trade occurred people are overshadowing the immediate impact of Anthony Davis. AD is a well-established all-star and has been considered for years as one of the best defensive presences in the game. A 3X NBA All-defense first team, 3X NBA blocks leader, 10X All star, 4X All-NBA first team, and an NBA championship back this up. He’s 31 years old and has plenty of gas left in the tank to dominate the foreseeable future. Combining him with a shifty Kyrie Irving, a veteran Klay Thompson and Spencer Dinwiddie who have plenty left to prove more then shows the win-now mentality with the Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic is a generational talent in a player with his ability to create shots from almost anywhere to find the open pass of the defensive presence. But with the win now mentality in Dallas adding a defensive wall in Anthony Davis is what will elevate them to winning a ring. Having the opportunity to combine these veteran stars in Dallas while getting rid of a player who lacks conditioning and not deserving of a supermax only makes perfect sense for the Dallas Mavericks why they made this trade and won it.
