The Dallas Mavericks have traded away Luka Doncic. In a move that has been described as “unfathomable” by many in the sports world, the Mavericks have shipped off Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick from LA. The deal also included the Utah Jazz receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino and 2 second-round draft picks.
For the unaware, Doncic is a superstar in every aspect of the word and has already built a Hall of Fame resume by the age of 25. The Slovenian was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2019, and since then has added 5 straight All-Star and All-NBA First Team selections from 2020-2024. This past season, he helped lead the Mavericks to their 3rd NBA finals appearance in franchise history, in which they fell to the Boston Celtics in 5 games. His fitness and durability have raised some questions from the Mavericks front office, as Doncic has spent the bulk of his Mavericks tenure under scrutiny from fans and pundits about his weight. This issue, coinciding with a calf injury that has sidelined him for over half of the 2024-25 season, has caused Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison to make a decision that will surely affect the future trajectory of the franchise.
In return, the Mavericks have received one of the NBA’s best players in Anthony Davis. Davis, a 10-time All-Star, 5-time All-NBA selection, 1-time NBA champion with L.A. in 2020, and member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, will look to fill the void left by Doncic’s absence. This season, Davis is averaging 25.7 PTS, 11.9 REB, 3.4 AST, and 2.1 BLK per game while being the defense anchor for a Laker’s team who currently sits 5th in the Western Conference at the time of writing.
Davis, now 31 years old, also boasts similar availability concerns to Doncic. Davis has never played a full season in his 13-year career. In 6 seasons with Los Angeles, Davis has missed 135 out of a possible 270 games due to rest or injury. As Davis enters his twilight years in Dallas, Doncic will be entering his prime in L.A. The 25-year-old superstar can help the Lakers be perennial championship contenders for the next decade.
With LeBron James entering his 40s and his retirement approaching on the horizon, the Lakers have been handed his replacement in Luka Doncic. The passing of the torch from LeBron to Luka will signal a new era of Lakers basketball. With the best part of his career still to come, Doncic looks primed to become the next all-time great to dawn the infamous purple and gold.
