Luka Dončić being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers was one of, if not the biggest, trade in NBA history. Not a single person saw it coming, even Dončić himself.
As we revisit the trade between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, we still question the decision-making behind the trade from the Mavericks’ side. The General Manager, Nico Harrison, and the rest of the staff claimed it was a win-now move, which didn’t pan out.
The main reason it left everyone scratching their heads in confusion is because of the return the Mavericks got.
In return for Dončić, the Mavericks got 32-year-old Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
According to a Yahoo Sports report by Robert Marvi, the Mavericks only called two other teams to discuss potential trade packages.
Those teams were the Milwaukee Bucks, who refused to give up Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Neither of which was able to agree on a trade.
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Now, months later, it was announced that the Chicago Bulls would have offered “anyone and everyone” on the roster for Dončić, according to Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley.
“A source told the Sun-Times that Karnisovas and his front office would have offered anyone and everyone on the roster had they been notified by the Mavericks that Luka Dončić was available in February.” Cowley wrote.
This is probably the case for most teams around the league, since Dončić is a consensus top-five player around the league at just 26 years old.
It seems as if the Mavericks made a premature decision and did not get the best offer they could have in return for Dončić. In cases like the Bulls, they would have been willing to offer much more than the Lakers did.
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