If you were sleeping last night you probably woke up to a lot of notifications on your phone this morning after one of the wildest nights on the NBA trade market. The Dallas Mavericks traded superstar point guard Luka Doncic in a three-team deal to the Los Angeles Lakers for star forward Anthony Davis to the surprise of everyone.
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
The trade was so out of left field that many people had to ask themselves whether ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania's X (Formerly known as Twitter) account was hacked. The 25-year-old five-time All-NBA 1st teamer, Doncic, is fresh off of leading the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance just last season
However, all signs have pointed toward the Mavericks contacting the Lakers with a trade in mind to acquire the 31-year-old four-time All-NBA 1st teamer, Davis, to help their franchise in the short-term and long-term, according to their General Manager Nico Harrison.
While executing the trade on the Lakers side has a true short-term and long-term benefit with Doncic's current status as one of the NBA's best players and his age, acquiring Anthony Davis at his age for the Mavericks seems to only be a short-term benefit.
Although the Memphis Grizzlies weren't involved in the trade, they received a benefit from their fellow Western Conference partners.
The Lakers got weaker on defense
As great of a player as Luka Doncic is, his defense is his weak link by a long shot. The Lakers have had the Grizzlies number because of Anthony Davis' impact on the defensive end as Ja Morant was neutralized due to that reason.
Now? The Lakers lost their best defender who had the ability to dominate a game on both sides to now having no relevant big man and a perimeter of struggling defenders with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. The advantage the Lakers had for a potential playoff series against the Grizzlies is now gone if the two teams were to meet again.
The Mavericks lost their dynamic backcourt
The Grizzlies struggled against the Mavericks in the past as as they were 4-11 against them when Luka Doncic played. Luka's slow playing style with defenders surrounding him on the Mavericks was the recipe for their success against a Grizzlies team that likes to play fast-paced.
Although the Mavericks still possess the ability to play that way with a Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis backcourt-frontcourt dynamic, it eliminates the aura of Luka Doncic. The Mavericks or Lakers being a first-round opponent for the Grizzlies is very possible, and the advantage that both teams possessed in potential against the Grizzlies isn't as advantageous as before the executed trade.