. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
As the dust settles around the most shocking transaction in NBA history — the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick — so many questions need answering to fully appreciate the immeasurable consequences of a trade this huge.
The biggest question is obvious: Why? Why would the Mavericks trade a 25-year-old walking triple-double with five All-NBA first-team selections? And if they were set on doing it, why wouldn’t Dallas shop him around to, at minimum, increase the quality of the Lakers’ trade package or find an even better return? Why, why, why would general manager Nico Harrison do any of this unprompted, as he admitted the franchise received no indication Doncic wanted to leave Dallas? (Doncic confirmed this Tuesday in his introductory Lakers news conference.)
There have been some answers — the Mavs not being fond of Doncic’s lack of conditioning is the most popular. But there are other more meaningful questions in regards to the on-court product for the teams and players involved.
Harrison has, at every juncture, stated the move was made with the goal of winning an NBA championship — something he believes must be done with defense, hence why he so badly wanted Davis in return for the Mavs’ generational talent. Which makes this the most pressing question in Dallas as of now: Are the Mavericks better suited to win a championship right now?
To start, it’s hard to say they’re better off after the trade. The roster is more balanced now. Davis has been playing some ridiculous basketball, putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds along with 2.1 blocks per game. The latter number only scratches the surface of his defensive impact; Davis is defending 8.4 field goals per game, and opponents are shooting 8% below average on those shots. The …
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