For Dallas Mavericks fans, February felt like the longest month ever—despite being the shortest—after the shocking revelation on February 1 that Luka Doncic had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since then, questions have swirled around the Mavericks’ leadership and transparency, with frustrated fans even staging protests outside the American Airlines Center. Many media outlets have labeled the Doncic trade as one of the most shocking moves in NBA history, even drawing comparisons to Babe Ruth’s legendary trade to the Yankees. However, one crucial detail involving Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards raises serious doubts and threatens to damage GM Nico Harrison’s credibility further.
Harrison Explored a Doncic-Edwards Trade But Was Quickly Rejected
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Harrison quietly explored the possibility of trading Doncic for Anthony Edwards weeks before the deal with the Lakers was finalized. League sources reveal that Harrison reached out to the Timberwolves’ front office, inquiring about Edwards’ availability. As expected, the Wolves swiftly shut down the idea.
This revelation is significant because it contradicts Harrison’s previous claims. During a press conference the day after the trade, Harrison stated, “We had to keep it between us,” referring only to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers. He explicitly said he had not spoken to any other team besides Los Angeles. If these reports are accurate, it suggests Harrison was not entirely truthful about the trade discussions.
While there’s no concrete proof that Dallas also reached out to Milwaukee about a potential deal, rumors suggest the team explored other trade avenues for Doncic. This raises questions about whether the Mavericks were actively looking to move their star due to concerns about his conditioning and off-court habits, including his well-documented love for hookah and beer.
Despite any off-court concerns, Doncic remains one of the NBA’s most dominant players. He led the league in scoring and made history by dropping 73 points in a game against the very team that originally drafted him.
Ultimately, this situation exposes Harrison as potentially withholding key details about the trade. Whether the move benefits Dallas in the long run remains to be seen. With the revamped roster, there’s reason for fans to be excited—if the team stays healthy. However, this entire saga serves as a reminder that front-office decisions often happen behind closed doors, and the Mavericks’ future now teeters between championship contention and disaster.
