Mavs Won The Luka-AD Trade
The talk still of the sports world is the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade that sent shockwaves around the country. A young superstar being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and making him the cornerstone of a franchise that now has a changing of the guards moment with Lebron James playing his last few holes of his career. Everyone is saying the Lakers made out in the deal.
Lakers receive:Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
Mavericks receive:Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 First Round Pick
Jazz receive:Jalen Hood-Schifino, (2) 2025 second round picks
In order to figure out why I think the Mavericks won the trade you first need to understand why Luka was traded.
He’s fat and unmotivated and has a conditioning issue.
The primary reasoning for an 11-day absence in late November, officially attributed to a right wrist sprain, was to provide Dončić time to shed weight after he had ballooned into the high 260s, sources said. He had a similar shutdown in December 2021, early in the first season of the Harrison-Kidd regime
He could be a generational talent but doesn’t put the work in. He just doesn’t care. He dogs it on defense and is now going to a market that will tear him to shreds if he pulls the same stuff he did in Dallas. He will now have paparazzi following him to an all you can eat buffet and taking pictures of him stuffing his face. Going to LA is not the best place for a guy who has issues and allegedly had some language in his contract about alcohol during the season.
Now looking at the roster who was 5th in the west when the trade went down.
This doesn’t scream championship or bust. Let me show you what a roster that has been upgraded and has potential to make a run.
Your big 3 of Kyrie, Klay, and AD have all won championships. All want to show the league they can do it without Curry and LeBron. Motivation and spite are one hell of a drug. Anthony Davis is signed for 2 more seasons so if it doesn’t work out the Mavs can move on while Luka will be looking to get a max deal, another reason the Mavs traded him since the reports are he wouldn’t sign with Dallas and wanted compensation instead of letting him leave for nothing.
In a world where winning now matters more than building for the future, Dallas hands down won this trade.
