The Mavericks just did something unimaginable. They traded the most talented player the franchise will ever have for next to nothing.
One, that’s right, just one first-round draft pick will be returned to Dallas in the deal. If the Mavericks were going to dismantle their franchise like this, it’s unconscionable not to receive a boatload of draft picks to kickstart a rebuild. The pick won’t even materialize until 2029, by which time Dončić will be in his prime at age 29. The Lakers had more draft picks at their disposal, but GM Nico Harrison let them off easy.
In a situation where Mikal Bridges, an 18/3/3 player this year, earned five first-round picks in his trade to the New York Knicks, the Mavericks are getting one for a once-in-a-generation talent. Is something missing here?
The Brooklyn Nets didn’t get a star like Anthony Davis in exchange for Bridges, but trading Dončić and not receiving a massive haul of draft picks seems like a major mistake on the part of Harrison and his team. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that the Mavericks “had major concerns moving forward with Dončić due to his conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension.”
If you believe anything this organization says now, those concerns must have been more significant than fans realized. Fans had similar worries, but many assumed Dončić would eventually figure things out, treating his body like Dirk Nowitzki did later in his career. It’s shocking that trading Dončić became the solution, instead of addressing the issues through coaching or training staff. Perhaps those options were explored in private, perhaps they weren’t. Charania later reported that it was the Mavericks who approached the Lakers about this trade, not the other way around. By revealing their hand this way, Dallas likely weakened their negotiating position.
Even mentioning Dončić in trade talks means you’re trading at a loss, but this loss? Davis has had his own injury issues throughout his career, with his highest games played total in five years being just 62. As MMB editor Kirk Henderson pointed out, there’s a reason Davis has been nicknamed “Day-to-Davis.” Dončić has played 39 more games than Davis over the last five years.
In a previous statement, Harrison said, “I believe that defense wins championships” and that “getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance” to win it all.
This claim seems questionable after the trade. Harrison is misleading Mavs fans by pretending this was a smart decision. Dončić had improved defensively over the last two seasons, so we don’t buy the defense-first narrative.
Something doesn’t add up. With Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford now on the roster, it’s likely Gafford will be available in trade talks before the NBA Trade Deadline. Recently, Gafford’s defense has been key for the Mavericks while Dončić has dealt with a calf injury.
Davis has recently suggested he wants to play more power forward, but since 2021, he’s primarily been used as a center.
NBA insider Mark Stein called the trade “one of the most stunning trade thunderbolts in NBA history,” and emphasized that Dončić did not request a trade. This lends credibility to the idea that the organization was unhappy with something on Dončić’s end. The Dallas Morning News reported that the trade “took several weeks to finalize after the Mavericks reached out to the Lakers,” and that Harrison had full support from Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont.
Maxi Kleber and rarely-used big man Markieff Morris are also heading to the Lakers, while the Mavericks receive shooting guard Max Christie, who played 24 minutes per game, scored over eight points, and shot 37% from three for the Lakers this year.
One more sign this could go down as the worst trade in basketball history? ESPN commentator Kendrick Perkins loves it.
None of this makes sense. A generation of Mavericks fans has been systematically misled. How does this franchise expect to fill the stands after blowing everything up? This type of trade wouldn’t even fly in a well-run fantasy basketball league.
Will the team ever be relevant again? (No). Did we just witness the worst day in franchise history? (Yes). Did Dončić secretly hint that he wouldn’t re-sign with the Mavs? Is there more to the calf injury than we know?
There’s definitely more to this story, and as time goes on, more details will likely surface through rumors and anonymous sources. This move is being portrayed as the Mavericks realizing they’re done with their best player in franchise history. Don’t be surprised if the full truth reveals a very different story.
