Ex-Mavericks champion, NBA award winner reveals reaction to Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Former Dallas Mavericks champion and 2012 Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler is now a player development coach for the Mavericks. But just like everybody, he was completely caught off guard by the stunning trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

“I was just as surprised as the rest of the world with the trade," Chandler said at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp. "I think it will end up working out for both sides, you know, in the long run. But I was just surprised, clearly.”

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

That trade sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, and it'll have lasting impacts on the league for the next few years. A lot of Mavericks fans still haven't gotten over the deal, and it doesn't help that the team went from making the NBA Finals to missing the playoffs entirely.

Getting Cooper Flagg helped ease some of those feelings, but the team will need to perform a lot better this season if they can stay healthy.

Former Dallas Mavericks player Tyson Chandler during warm ups before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Is the Trade Going to Work for Both the Lakers and Mavericks?

Tyson Chandler believes both teams will come out better for it, but how realistic is that? The Mavericks went to the NBA Finals with Doncic and built a great team around him, but when you take out the main engine and put in Anthony Davis, that changes things.

There are concerns about the team's roster, as there aren't a lot of playmakers, especially with Kyrie Irving out for at least half the season. They have a lot of play finishers, but is a combination of D'Angelo Russell, Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, Dante Exum, and Brandon Williams good enough to set everyone else up? It's debatable.

It's absolutely a win for the Lakers, as they were staring at an older roster with little to no control over their draft picks for the rest of the decade, and they managed to land a young megastar like Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar.

So, instead of fading into the sunset with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they have someone just entering his supposed prime who can carry the franchise. Will it lead to a championship? There's no way of knowing, but they have a much better chance of contending for them in the next five years than they did before the trade.

Doncic just signed a three-year, $165 million deal to remain with the Lakers, and he can opt out of the final year, where he would then be eligible to sign a massive five-year, $417 million deal.

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