Late Saturday night, the L.A. Lakers and Dallas Mavericks pulled off a trade that was so shocking, many around the league thought it was false information.
The Lakers traded Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. The Utah Jazz were also involved in the trade, they received Jalen Hood-Schifino and two 2025 second-round picks. Utah’s outlook isn’t impacted much by the trade, but the Lakers and Mavs have completely altered their futures, so let’s look at how the move impacts their respective teams.
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It’s a weird trade for the Mavericks.
Dallas reportedly approached the Lakers about trading Doncic and were initially met with surprise. Mavs GM Nico Harris explained the trade to ESPN saying, “I believe that defense wins championships.”
While Davis is a much better defensive player than Doncic, he is also 32 and has a much shorter window of time to win a title. This move seems like a win-now move by the Mavericks, but the potential consequences of failing to win a title this season could be devastating. They now look like a serious threat in the playoffs this season, but their five-year outlook just got a bit more grim.
The Lakers pulled off a miracle.
By now, it’s obvious that the Lakers won this trade. Not only did they add a 25-year old superstar that can take the reigns of the organization once LeBron James retires, but they kept the vast majority of their depth in the process. Giving up Davis and Christie will certainly hurt their defense, but it’s also possible that L.A. acquires a defensive center before the trade deadline.
LeBron has never played alongside a player of Doncic’s caliber and the same is true for Doncic. With arguably the league’s two best playmakers and offensive engines on the same team, it’s impossible to predict what L.A.’s offense will look like. Regardless of potential conditioning or injury issues, this trade is a massive success for the Lakers.
NBA Insider Shams Charania was the first to break the news and when he did so on X, players and fans alike thought he had been hacked. But this move is very real, and will have a very real impact on the NBA.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
