Trade away your franchise’s future? Why not!
In one of the most shocking moves in NBA history, Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a first round draft pick. This wasn’t any mundane or ordinary trade, it was an unthinkable one that completely shook the NBA and will forever impact its trajectory and future.
Joshua Jasper, a sophomore accounting major and Mavericks fan , was sitting with his brother on the couch when he learned about the tragic news.
“We didn’t believe it at first, no one did,” Jasper said. “Everyone thought that Shams was hacked when he posted about it originally. It felt like a bad dream that I was unable to wake up from.”
Since 2018, Doncic, a generational talent for the Dallas Mavericks, averaged 28.6 points per game and led his team to the NBA finals last season. And yet, in an unexpected move, the team traded their crowned heir for the aging, injury-prone Anthony Davis.
Despite many Mavericks fans being very confused about the situation, they could not deny the positive impact that Doncic would have on the Lakers future.
“I hate to say it, but the Lakers just set themselves up for at least the next decade,” Jasper said.
And that’s exactly what they did.
Shane Felis, a senior christian studies major and excited Lakers fan, had plenty to say about the trade and its impact on both teams’ futures and the NBA as a whole.
“I woke up to a FaceTime call at 1:30 a.m. I was like…no way,” Felis said. “I couldn’t sleep, so I got up, I walked out of my dorm at 2 a.m., walked to the Fred, sat on the bleachers, and just looked at the rafters. I couldn’t believe this.”
At first, the trade seemed like a clear win for Dallas. Anthony Davis gave the Mavericks a defensive powerhouse that the team desperately needed after their Finals loss last season. Davis and Doncic are both elite players but Dallas made an aggressive push to win as soon as possible. They seem to have sacrificed a long- term investment for a possible short- term gain.
“This might make the Mavericks a better team this year, maybe a year and a half of good basketball before they screw over their entire future,” Felis said.
Dallas is betting on their defense to win championships, and to be fair, they might be justified in doing so. Davis is one of the best defenders in the league, and pairing him with Kyrie Irving may make them an unstoppable duo. But while the Mavericks may have improved their short-term game, the Lakers secured their future, at least for the next decade.
Luka Doncic is only 25 years old, is already viewed as one of the best offensive players in the world, and now has the opportunity to be the face of the Lakers franchise for the next 15 years.
But the importance of this trade isn’t about talent, its timing. If the Lakers would have waited until after Lebron James had retired, they would have lost all leverage in a Davis trade. Other teams would have known that the Lakers were desperate to rebuild their roster and would in turn offer less. By making this trade while Lebron is still in the league, the Lakers maximized Davis’s trade value and secured their next franchise superstar.
The Lakers now are left with a big hole at center, and really no one is denying that. Davis was their defensive anchor and whitout him, this season could be a real struggle. Finding a new center is crucial for the Lakers, whether that means trading for someone like Ayton or Turner, but even then, it will take time for the team to gel.
“The immediate impact of the trade is that we are worse. The Lakers are worse,” Felis said. “No matter if you have Luka and LeBron, the best players in the world offensively, you need defense.”
However, the Lakers weren’t making the trade for just a season or two, they were making it with the next decade in mind. The Lakers now have a successor to Lebron, one who can carry the team for many years to come. Doncic is young, healthy, and just entering his prime while the aging Davis is beginning to show signs of wear.
On the other hand, Dallas is pushing all of their chips in, betting that Davis’ experience and defense can bring a championship victory to Texas. It’s a smart move if they are only focused on winning this season or the next. It’s a rare win-win for both teams, but if Doncic becomes everything he thinks he can be, The Lakers may have pulled off the heist of the decade.