In a stunning trade that shocked the basketball world, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks completed a massive player exchange on February 2nd. The trade offer is all-star Anthony Davis heads to Dallas Mavericks, while young superstar, Luka Doncic, joins the lakers.
Why did the Lakers make this move?
They have secured Luka Doncic who is known for his scoring and playmaking abilities, he is expected to be the cornerstone of the franchise for years to come and the Lakers want to secure both their present and future, therefore since he is a young superstar they’re hoping he could lead the team for years after LeBron James retires.
This trade will put the Lakers as title contenders. Former Suns GM, Ryan McDough calls it a “seismic” move that could define the Lakers next era for basketball, and Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka expressed excitement over pairing Doncic with LeBron James and hoping to win another championship.
The Lakers believe that having Luka Doncic with his high basketball IQ and great leadership it’d make a formidable duo alongside LeBron James.
Dallas on the other hand, traded away Doncic for Anthony Davis who is known as a great defender and has been an all-star nine times. The Mavericks hope that Davis will make their defense better and help them win games alongside Kyrie Irving.
This does make people wonder if the trade was fair or enough in return for a player that’s as good as Doncic. The fans are worried for the Mavericks future because of Anthony Davis’s past injury history and shorter career timeline compared to Doncic.
Nico Harrison, the Maverick’s boss, said they traded Doncic because they were worried about his fitness and injuries. He also loves the idea of having Davis in as he is good for defense, “We believe good defense wins championships,” Harrison said.
This trade has started conversations online, Maverick fans are upset, some saying that the team didn’t get enough for Doncic. Even Doncic’s dad, Sasa Doncic, mentioned, “my son doesn’t deserve this.” However, on the contrary, the Lakers fans are happy about getting a good player on their team.
