Press Box: Who truly won the Luka trade?

One of the biggest trades in NBA history occurred on Feb. 1. The Dallas Mavericks traded their franchise cornerstone guard Luka Dončić, along with forward Maxi Kleber and forward Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Anthony Davis, guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. 

Drew Thompson, Staff Writer

This trade does appear to be lopsided on paper, but some reports surfacing after the fact may shed some light on the Mavericks decision. 

First, there were concerns with Dončić’s conditioning. The Mavs had grown tired of Dončić’s lack of discipline with his diet and conditioning, according to ESPN. 

This lack of discipline was said to have played a large role in his recent injury troubles, likely worrying the Mavs for the future. 

The Mavericks’ general manager Nico Harrison claimed they wanted to prioritize defense in the future, according to The Smoking Cuban. Dončić has always been recognized as a mediocre defender at best, while Davis is known for being one of the best defenders in the NBA. 

Davis is currently third in the NBA in blocks per game with 2.2 according to ESPN, while also being one of the top rebounders in the league. 

The Mavericks currently sit in the bottom half of the league in terms of points allowed per game, meaning they are a below-average defensive team. 

I believe that adding Davis to the lineup will vastly improve the Mavs defense while allowing for them to play more how they want. 

Davis recently went down with an injury in his Mavericks debut, but prior to that, he had 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes played. Davis is reported to miss multiple weeks, according to the NBA.

I think that even with this the Mavericks ended up better than most people assume. The one-two punch of guard Kyrie Irving and Davis along with the Mavs other great defensive weapons can make them a dark horse once the playoffs roll around. 

If Davis can bounce back from injury and build off his dominant debut I think the Mavs will be just fine. 

Kyler Gilliam, Staff Writer

The trade for Dončić is a post-LeBron James move for the Lakers. Obtaining an arguably top-3 player in the league that is going to replace an aging legend in the coming years is an excellent move for Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.

James, the 40-year-old forward, is still one of the best players in the league even at his age. However, it is abundantly clear that his time in the NBA is coming to an end, leaving the Lakers in a place of uncertainty after he is gone. 

This trade allows Los Angeles to have a young star after the departure of James, the face of the NBA.

At 25 years old, Dončić has already become a five-time first-team All-NBA player and led his team to an NBA Finals appearance, according to ESPN. He became one of the new faces of the NBA in the process. The Lakers acquire that talent by sending an aging, injury-prone and expensive Davis to the Mavericks.

The Lakers have found their star for years to come with Dončić, and for cheaper. Dončić was preparing to sign a supermax extension with the Mavericks this summer, with a value of $345 million for five years, according to CNBC. After the trade, Luka is not eligible to receive that contract with the Lakers, he is now only eligible for a maximum four-year $229 million contract.

After James retires, and with a discounted Dončić, the Lakers can make aggressive moves in free agency and the trade market.

The Lakers still have three first-round picks that they can trade. Also, young pieces such as guard Austin Reaves and forwards Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt can be dished out to acquire big-name talent around the league.

I expect the Lakers to be on the search for players to play alongside Dončić in the coming years after James’ retirement, and they will have the financial flexibility to best suit Dončić with quality pieces before he hits 30 years old. The window for them stays wide open as long as Dončić is in purple and gold.