On February 2, 2025, the Dallas Mavericks made arguably one of the most controversial NBA trades of all time.
The Los Angeles Lakers received Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. The Dallas Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
This is controversial because Dončić is 25 years old and won Rookie of the Year.” He was an All-Star for five years in a row.
Although Davis has won one championship and is a 10-time All-Star, he is 6 years older than Dončić. Dončić is a franchise player for the Dallas Mavericks and has much more potential than Davis. Dončić is also a beloved player for the Dallas Mavericks. He has been playing for the Dallas Mavericks for seven seasons.
The same thing goes with Davis. Davis has been playing for the Lakers since he was traded to them in 2019. Both players left fans from both teams in shock.
As soon as the news started to spread, Dallas fans looked at who was to blame. Nico Harrison is the Dallas Mavericks’ general manager who decides the trades. Harrison was immediately blamed by the Dallas fans on social media.
Fans had one question: Why? Why did they trade Luka? What did he do wrong?
“The trade was very surprising,” Sam Jones ’28 said. “I don’t think that it is a good move for the Mavericks. Nico Harrison traded away his star player for a player who is no longer in his prime. They are losing a very prominent player and possibly a generational player. I thought it was kind of a scam that the Lakers got Luka for that little. He was supposed to be the next Dirk Nowetzki and have his own statue at American Airlines.”
Other students agree.
“Personally, I’ve been a Mavs fan since day one, and I hated to see the trade,” Max Kuperman ’28 said. “It’s one of the biggest trades in NBA history. I can’t believe that Luka is playing with LeBron [James], and it makes no sense because the Lakers don’t have a big man now.”
The Dallas Mavericks have had concerns for a while now. They were concerned with Dončić’s conditioning issues and his commitment to a supermax deal. A supermax deal is 35% of a player’s salary cap given to the player. It is mostly for veterans of basketball teams.
In an article written by Kari Anderson, Yahoo Sports said, “I understand why they would be shocked, initially. “But I do believe that we positioned ourselves to win now and also win in the future. That’s ultimately the goal and why we’re here. It’s one of those things where it’s my job to make tough decisions that put our goals first and foremost.”
Harrison believed that it was a good move for the future of the Dallas Mavericks program, but some people would disagree.
In response to being traded, Dončić said on his Instagram: “Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level. I thought I’d spend my career here, and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship. The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home. In good times and bad, from injuries to the NBA Finals, your support never changed. Thank you not only for sharing my joy in our best moments but also for lifting me up when I needed it most. To all the organizations I’ve worked with throughout the Dallas community, thank you for letting me contribute to your important work and join you in bringing light to those who need it. As I start the next part of my basketball journey, I am leaving a city that will always feel like a home away from home. Dallas is a special place, and Mavs fans are special fans. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
This message left fans in shock.
On February 25th, the Dallas Mavericks played the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time since the deal, and Luka played well. He had a triple-double in the game, and the Lakers won, 99-107.
