MavericksGameday staff reacts to wild Luka Doncic trade

The Dallas Mavericks and the rest of the NBA are still recovering from the wild trade that broke, sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal that also has Anthony Davis coming to town.

With the dust settled, MavericksGameday staff members have a lot to say about what has transpired.

Jeremy Brener

Wow. That's the first thing to say. With all of the attention surrounding De'Aaron Fox and Jimmy Butler, the shock of the trade still ruminates.

The next three-letter word that comes out of my mouth is 'Why?' Some answers we kind of know, while others we will find out in the coming days and weeks, and some we may never know.

At the end of the day, the Mavs initiated a deal like this and they are standing ten toes down, so as long as they are confident in it, that is what matters? Right?!?

Kade Kimble

Simply put, the Dallas Mavericks leveraged their future with a generational superstar while dishing poor excuses for making said moves. Anthony Davis, with a core of Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, at this stage in their careers, is not enough to take the Mavericks to a championship level. The Mavericks could not have made a worse move given their current circumstances, and they'll feel the impact of that in a few years time.

Feb 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks fans walk to the arena with a coffin during a mock funeral before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Columbus Blue Jackets at American Airlines Center to protest the trade of Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Austin Veazey

Truly one of the most reprehensible decisions ever made in sports. Nothing makes sense about it. Trading a 25 year old perennial MVP candidate for pennies on the dollar is infuriating, and a lot of fans will stop supporting the Mavs because of it. Using injuries/conditioning doesn’t fit either because the traded for an older, more injured, and just as expensive Anthony Davis. There is no rationalizing it.

Dustin Lewis

Baffled. That’s the way I’d describe my current state since the Mavericks made a deal that is still difficult to understand. Yes, Doncic has been injured for much of the season and the franchise would’ve owed him a significant amount of money in the near future with a looming extension. At the same time, he’s the face of the franchise and arguably the best player in the NBA when he’s at full strength.

Nico Harrison has argued this move will help Dallas win now and in the future but it’s also his job to say those things. Anthony Davis is having a solid season but he’s dealt with plenty of injuries of his own and will turn 32 in March. Kyrie Irving will also celebrate his 31st birthday during the same month.

Davis and Irving are both on the wrong side of 30, compared to Doncic who is just beginning to enter his prime and has the potential to be one of the top players in the league for the next decade. I don’t really see any positives for the Mavericks moving forward considering they landed just one draft pick which won’t be available until 2029.

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