Why Dallas won the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis Trade
Did the NBA world just turn upside down?
At the very least, I—and, dare I say, millions of other NBA fans across the globe—feel like my brain has been scrambled over the past hour. All of us are trying to wrap our heads around the biggest trade in recent memory.
Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Even my fingers are in disbelief that they just typed those words.
Here are the details of the blockbuster deal as reported by NBA insider Shams Charania:
(A quick word on Shams: Congrats to him, because he now has his signature moment. After the venerable Adrian Wojnarowski stepped away from ESPN, Charania has stepped in nicely to fill the role of “guy who knows a lot of jaw-dropping secrets.” This Lakers-Mavericks-Jazz deal is, without a doubt, the obra maestra of his career.)
Now that we have the baseline details of this deal, let’s weigh in.
The way I see it, Dallas won this trade. Yes, Laker Nation, I said it—the addition of Davis to the Mavericks roster will do more for Dallas’ title contention in comparison to Luka’s impact on the Lakers’ championship aspirations.
Yes, Doncic is an extraordinary scorer and playmaker who can stuff the stats with ease like James. But at what cost? The Lakers are giving up Davis, who’s been averaging double digits in the rebounding department since the 2022-23 season, despite being tied at 27th in the league when it comes to boards.
Further, the Lakers’ defensive rating of 114.1 is in the league’s bottom third. Consider as well that the Lakers are giving up 50.8 inside points per game—the fifth-worst team in the league under this metric—and you might very well be scratching your head at the departure of AD. Will Doncic either compensate for this with his other-worldly offensive production or actually contribute to the improvement of the Lakers’ defensive flaws? I’m leaning towards no on both counts.
(And yeah, I know that Maxi Kleber is part of the Doncic package on its way to Tinseltown, but come on. One, Kleber is no AD. Two, his track record on the injury list is—shall I say—too lengthy for a team hoping to reach the Western Conference Finals.)
On the other hand, Davis fits right in with the Mavericks, in more ways than one. Big man Dereck Lively II, who’s been a starter since mid-November, has been riddled with injuries this season, most recently because of a right ankle stress fracture. Davis fills the frontcourt void left by Lively and, in all likelihood, will remain in the starting five even after the second-year behemoth comes back.
I can just imagine AD smiling ear-to-ear when he realizes that he’s gotten his longstanding wish: to permanently stay at the four position and play alongside a gifted natural center. In Dallas, he has both Lively and Daniel Gafford to take care of the responsibilities at the five.
Dallas, by the way, is currently 12th in defensive rating. The generational player that he is, Davis won’t take so much time to get acclimated to Jason Kidd’s Xs and Os on defense. Imagine how much farther Dallas will go in terms of defensive improvement—and, by extension, their postseason run—with AD bringing his defensive prowess. (Wait a second—didn’t Kidd spend some time on the Lakers bench? Oh right.)
Am I talking too much about defense? Fine, let’s get into the opposite end of the floor. All I have to say is: I like the potential synergy of a Kyrie Irving-Anthony Davis-Klay Thompson combination better than the Luka Doncic-LeBron James version of the Mega Powers. Irving is a nightmare on the perimeter, Davis is formidable in the paint, and Thompson—honestly? All he needs to do now is to stand in the corner, wave at the native Texans at ringside, and wait for wide open threes. Such is the gravity of his two teammates who were picked at the top of their respective draft classes.
As for the Lakers: The irony is, Luka’s partnership with LeBron will have to follow the mold of his short-lived tandem with Irving in Dallas. Somehow, Luka and Uncle Drew—both ball-dominant playmakers—made things work and went all the way to the Finals last season. That, I guess, will be the ceiling of a Luka-LBJ duo that consists of two players in need of the ball most of the time.
Also, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this move has stronger implications for the Lakers’ long-term future than their current jockeying for playoff position. Sooner or later, Father Time will catch up 40-year-old James; with this move, LeBron has ensured that an extraordinarily gifted, high-IQ superstar will inherit the throne in Tinseltown and ensure a bright future for the Lakers.
I guess I can end my piece after reviewing the numbers and doing hardcourt simulations. But I won’t.
Shams, you see, reported that James supposedly didn’t know that the Davis trade was in the works:
To that I say: come on, man. Since—at the very least—his second stint in Cleveland back in the mid-2010s, James has clearly been an influential voice that gets front offices to align with his wishes. I’m highly skeptical of the claim that the King had no knowledge whatsoever of the Davis deal being cooked up.
It might not matter in the end. As far as potential impact on stat lines and retooled team chemistry are concerned, James’ former running mate might get the last laugh.
Simoun says: The Mavericks won the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade. And now, they have the power to turn the NBA’s power dynamics upside down.