As Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic begin to prepare for their respective new teams, the dust is starting to settle after an unexpected blockbuster trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers that took place last weekend.
Doncic’s departure from Dallas was nearly unthinkable. He had become the face of the franchise following the Hall of Fame career of Dirk Nowitzki. The phrase “loyalty never fades away” is etched outside Nowitzki’s statue, but fans haven’t been shy about voicing their opinions.
These voices may quiet down for at least a moment after Davis boldly claimed during his introductory press conference, “I’m going to give the city life back.”
Aside from the noise, the Mavericks are already feeling positive about their acquisition of Max Christie, who is impressing by exceeding all expectations early on. Mavs fans can only hope that Davis delivers the same level of dominance that he has shown for over a decade. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is shedding light on why Davis was chosen over Doncic.
Mavericks Believe Anthony Davis Can Help Secure an NBA Championship
Despite how Mavs fans may feel about GM Nico Harrison’s controversial decision to trade the face of the franchise for much less than what he was worth, Dallas’ wing depth is looking solid, with multiple players capable of knocking down shots consistently.
Windhorst pointed out that Dallas’ big men are now strong enough to challenge the other powerhouse bigs across the Western Conference.
“The reason they selected Anthony Davis as the guy they wanted for Luka is because they believe that trade can help them win the championship this year,” Windhorst explained. “They think they’re now big enough with their bigs to go against Memphis, to go against OKC, to go against Houston. They think they’ve got an advantage. They think they can get up there and beat them. That’s their look.”
This is also tied to Davis’ defensive prowess. As a three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team player and two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team player, Davis is poised to match up well with teams that have elite size. A defensive combination of Davis at the four with Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford at the five will undoubtedly strike fear in opposing teams.
Davis, a seasoned All-Star, knows how to lead a team to a championship, just like he did alongside LeBron James in 2020, helping the Lakers secure their first championship in over a decade. The Mavericks are now facing a 14-year championship drought.
To put it simply, Davis has the experience to lead a team to victory, and alongside stars like Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, the trio could steer the young Mavericks to a championship appearance. Only time will tell if Harrison’s gamble on Davis will pay off.
Dallas has now matched the defensive and big-man strength needed to challenge teams like Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Houston. The Mavericks firmly believe Davis is the key to helping them win their first NBA championship. Essentially, the Mavs have moved on from Doncic, with the belief that Davis gives them a better shot at going all the way.
