The Dallas Mavericks stunned the NBA world by sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, a move that has left many, including former players, baffled.
During TNT’s broadcast of the NBA All-Star Game, Jalen Rose didn’t hold back his thoughts on the trade and how the Mavericks handled it.
Rose criticized the team for leaking information about Doncic both before and after the trade.
“Normally, when you’re about to get traded, there are negative things about your character publicly,” Rose said. “I don’t like that it happened with Luka before he got traded and after he’s traded.”
Another issue Rose raised was that Dallas traded a player capable of leading a championship team in exchange for Anthony Davis, who he believes is best suited as a second option on a title-winning squad.
“Is he in the greatest shape? No,” Rose said of Doncic. “Does he have some off-court things that he probably needs to improve as a 25-year-old? Absolutely. And I love Anthony Davis, but he was the second-best player on a championship team when Luka won the championship—by the way, he just led them to the finals last year, and he’s been All-NBA five times—he’s gonna be the best player on the championship team.”
Rose also speculated that the Mavericks didn’t want to offer Doncic a super-max contract extension, arguing that if that was the case, the team’s ownership should step aside.
“It seems like they didn’t want to pay Luka. So, if you don’t want to pay Luka, just sell the team. That’s how I feel about it,” Rose said. “Because if you ain’t gonna pay somebody to accomplish what he’s accomplished already, I don’t know where the money gonna come from.”
While the impact of the trade remains to be seen, the Lakers are thrilled to add a generational talent like Doncic, even as LeBron James nears retirement. Meanwhile, the Mavericks, now built around Kyrie Irving and Davis, are confident in their future despite a narrower championship window.
