Trade may leave Mavericks’ fans feeling nauseous.
The Mavericks pulled off the unimaginable just before midnight on Saturday, and by that, I mean 60-70% of the shock comes from trading Luka Doncic, a 25-year-old undeniable superstar who led the Mavs to the NBA Finals last June. The remaining 30-40% of the surprise lies in the fact that GM Nico Harrison orchestrated the trade — and we have to blame him for it since Mark Cuban’s no longer the one getting the flak — to acquire Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Yes, a player six years older than Luka is now headed to Dallas, presumably to join forces with two other 30-somethings, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, in hopes of what, exactly? A play-in game?
In a Western Conference where Oklahoma City, Houston, and Memphis will outrun you with their youth and energy, the Mavericks are aiming to win by relying on memories from a decade ago.
The national reaction was massive and mostly negative. From Dirk Nowitzki (looking disappointed), to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (“I’m sick rn,” though he later added “Kyrie and AD going to be nice though”) to Raiders’ Maxx Crosby’s response, which felt most relatable to all of us (“Excuse me…They Did Not Just Trade Luka”).
But yes, they did. Time to toss those 77 jerseys. Fans long wondered if the kid from Slovenia would ever fully embrace Dallas or just see it as a pit stop before heading to Los Angeles. All signs pointed to Luka being content in Dallas — and this GM shipped him away anyway.
Remember the Mavericks traded Jason Kidd when he was 23, only for him to earn eight All-Star appearances with Phoenix and New Jersey before finishing his career in Dallas with a championship. Kidd was good, but not yet the perennial All-NBA player Luka had become, until this injury-riddled season.
Speaking of injuries, Davis has been fairly healthy these past two seasons, though he had a three-year stretch of 36-40-56 games played. If the Mavericks claim that Luka’s absence this season led Harrison to make the trade — which is, shockingly, the opposite of what should have happened — shouldn’t they have pursued younger or healthier talent instead?
Or is Harrison suggesting there was just no market for Luka Doncic?
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Harrison remarked late Saturday-early Sunday. “It’s my job to make tough decisions. We feel we’ve gotten ahead of what could be a turbulent summer.”
By this, Harrison meant that the franchise and its new owners — possibly more focused on Texas’ casino future than actually paying for championships — would have faced a tough decision with Luka’s looming five-year, $345 million extension. That sounds like a lot of money unless you’ve seen what NBA All-stars typically make.
Harrison’s “tough decision” that he’s so proud of was to trade the franchise cornerstone to the Lakers after numerous talks with his old friend, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.
As for his belief that Dallas will now succeed with defense, has Nico seen his team play? Does he think Thompson defends like he did a decade ago? The idea that the Mavericks are the Western Conference’s new Cavaliers (which might not excite fans as much as Harrison believes) depends mostly on Dallas’ size, but only once Dereck Lively II returns from injury, which won’t be anytime soon.
His belief that the Mavericks are ready to win now and are better off with Davis is just misguided. And what happens when Davis — already in his 13th pro season and turning 32 in March — starts missing 40 games per year again in a couple of seasons? What will Harrison have built for the Mavericks by then?
Mavs fans are going to feel sick for a while. That much was inevitable when management opted to trade Luka. But seeing him in a Lakers uniform? That’s a nightmare fans can’t escape. Does Harrison understand the impact this deal has on local fans? Does he even care?
LeBron James might play until he’s 50. He has Nico Harrison to thank for whatever records he breaks along the way.
As for the Mavericks, it’s no longer about breaking records. By next year, if not sooner, they’re headed for a breakdown of their own.