Nobody can make sense of this trade. The Dallas Mavericks have traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Maxi Christie, and a future first-round draft pick. Many around the league are trying to make sense of what would push Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison to make such a bold move. Harrison has since explained why he made the Anthony Davis trade. Although some aren’t buying his reasoning as the whole story, his claims are still completely ridiculous.
Dallas Mavericks GM Gives Idiotic Reasoning For Trading Luka
“Defense Wins Championships”
When asked for his reasoning behind the Doncic trade, Harrison said, “I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Let’s unpack this. Harrison is generally right. Defense does win championships in the NBA. That being said, having an All-Defensive center does not guarantee you anything when it comes to winning an NBA championship. The most-named All-Defensive center over the last few seasons, Rudy Gobert, hasn’t even made an NBA Finals.
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.
More NBA from me;… https://t.co/zL5E08wroD
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 2, 2025
On top of that, before the Doncic for Anthony Davis trade, the Mavericks had a BETTER defense than the Lakers defense that Davis led. The Mavericks are currently 12th in defensive rating and the Lakers are 21st. Make it make sense!
The Dallas Mavericks GM Has Missed with the Doncic Trade
Do you know what also helps you “win now and in the future”? Having a 25-year-old who has already led you to one NBA Finals appearance. Yes, that is right, Doncic already has the same amount of Finals appearances at the age of 25 as Davis does for his entire career.
Additionally, Doncic led a Mavericks team to the Finals with an elderly Kyrie Irving as his running mate. Davis did it with LeBron James as his team’s best player during a weird and flukey COVID-19 season. Although Davis and the Lakers did win it all while Doncic and the Mavericks fell short, who really had the more impressive run?
What Was Nico Harrison Thinking?
As we’ve shown, getting Davis in return for Doncic is not likely to help the Mavericks now or in the future. On top of that, reports are that Harrison didn’t even shop Doncic around the league. He approached the Lakers for a trade and settled on a price of Davis, Christie, and a first-round pick.
The Mavericks approached the Lakers recently and offered Luka Doncic, sources tell ESPN. Lakers brass met and believed the 25-year-old Doncic has the ability to be the face of their franchise for the next decade while giving Anthony Davis a win-now move in Dallas.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
This is a weak return. Doncic probably could have commanded one of the highest trade returns of all time if he was shopped around. Can you imagine all of the picks and young players that teams would have been throwing at the Mavericks had the league known he was available?
Harrison missed a huge opportunity. Even if he had no choice in getting rid of Doncic, he could have set the Mavericks up much better for the present or the future had he just done the normal GM due diligence. What a fool.
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