5 Takeaways: Luka Dončić to LA, Anthony Davis to Dallas in Fantastic Trade

On By Littum

Luka Dončić is officially a lacquer, while Anthony Davis is on his way to Mavericks in 1 of the most amazing trades in the NBA history.

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Unbelief turned against shock, shock turned back to unbelievers. After a basketball world spent late Saturday and small Sunday morning times asking yourself this question – is this a hoax? – Reality checked in and said Luka Dončić is actually a lacquer, and Anthony Davis is actually a maverick.

This massive and unexpected and frankly head-covering trade between Los Angeles and Dallas immediately reintroduces a few teams and sends a few KIA MVP challengers to different addresses. That’s very true. Whether it pushes mavericks and/or lakers another step in the right direction, either now or as long as these players are in these uniforms, is questionable.

Mavericks surrendered Luka in his prime minister, who seems impenetrable. Apparently, they weren’t excited about anything – his conditioning, defense, maybe too high maintenance?

Laker’s handed over Davis, who fit with LeBron James and was part of the solution, not the problem, in La they stepped out of his injury history or just went after the younger star when they got the rare chance?

We try to sort it with these five takeaways from Blockbuster swap, which also involved a first round of picking and fringe players:

1. Why it makes sense for both teams

Dallas adds one of the game’s very best two -way players, one that affects the results on both rims. Davis doesn’t have to score to deliver victories – his rebounding and felg protection are elite. Plus, Kyrie Irving will take on Lukas Bold handling tasks. The starting five for Dallas are among the best in basketball, especially inside the paint. Mavs has beaten West -Leader OKC three times this year; Now just added Davis.

Lakers add another creator next to LeBron James, giving them a few players that make teammates better. Luka also improves their exterior shooting and will be received warmly both inside and outside the dressing room; An ovation is waiting for crypto.

2. Why does this make no sense for both teams

Why trade Luka without leaving the other 28 teams? Why not have an auction and get the very best combination of choices and players? Davis is also six years older with an injury story. And Mavs already had great; Now they have a profit that prevents another trade.

Lakers were defensively defensively before trade; Now they lost their only credible defender. And the defense is by far the weakest part of Luke’s game. Plus: La is starving for not one, but two big men. There must be another agreement concluded before Thursday’s deadline.

3. Lakers keep their “Star Starstreak” in progress

When the franchise was based in Minneapolis, Laker’s Elgin had Baylor, and then drew Jerry West months before moving. From that time, with the exception of very short stretches, Lakers made a point of getting and holding generation talents.

It’s over 60 years … and counts because Luka is only 25 years old. It’s unmatched in the NBA, maybe all professional team sports.

When Baylor retired, Lakers had already landed Wilt Chamberlain. When Wilt and Jerry retired, Lakers swung a deal for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. When the draft of 1979 arrived, owner Jerry Buss West West transferred, then his GM and draft of Magic Johnson because Buss felt the star potential of a team that attracted celebrities.

After Magic came Shaquille O’Neal and West, who felt a star, swung a draft day for a teenager Kobe Bryant. After Kobe came LeBron and his predecessor is already internally now.

Luka works “that guy”, if only because of his age, all-NBA and MVP caliber talent, ability to carry a team to the final and this is important-box office presence. It goes well in a status city like LA – and with media partners who have just spent billions and asks for Lakers for Prime Time Slots.

4. It is the greatest trade of this generation

To be fair, it is due to seismic shock and enormous trade mainly the times when we live – social media, short attention spans, no concept of history.

Like is this really bigger than Wilt, which is traded from San Francisco Warriors to the 76s in his starring role? What about Kareem, with an MVP and title already under his belt that is moved from Milwaukee to LA? Or Julius Erving from the Nets to Sixers?

So we just stick with this generation and compare it to:

• Wolves send Kevin Garnett to Celtics. Combined with Ray Allen, who arrived from Seattle, Boston formed a large three with Paul Pierce and won a championship in 2008.

• Nuggets Deal Carmelo Anthony to Knicks. Melo was a certified goal scorer who just touched his prime and he went to the league’s largest market.

• Lakers trade Shaq to the heat. Shaq was still a massive presence, though not much anymore, and he helped Miami win his first title.

All of the above are Hall of Fame types that also sold tickets, just like Luka. But here’s the difference: Dončić was traded for Davis, an MVP candidate when it was healthy. This is the first time that two all-NBA players have been swapped to each other in the middle of the season, per. Elias Sports Bureau.

5. What about LeBron?

It looks like LeBron James was as shocked as everyone else when news about Blockbuster broke while he was at dinner.

He is the 40-year-old elephant in the room, a player who still delivers solid results almost nocturnal, yet there is on the clock. Does or harm this trade helps his chances of another championship? And will he spend the rest of his career – who may only be one year more – with Lakers?

LeBron did not even get a heads-up about the trade, According to reportsWhich is shocking in itself if only because he and Davis are represented by the same agency. Which means that if it is true, LeBron has not signed or disproved the trade. He had no input.

Also: Lakers now has two ball -dominant stars. We’ve seen this happen before on other teams with mixed results. What about here?

This is very clear – Lakers puts their franchise in the hands of another player. As they should. That’s the long -term goal. As for the short term, they need a sitting down with lebron because a team that is even weaker defensively and lacks a high quality mitigation will not scare many of this season’s challengers.

It’s all in Lebron’s hands. Does he sit close and see what happens next in LA? Or are there better situations for him at this time in his career?

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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him hereFind His archive here and Follow him on x.

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