At 12:12 a.m. on February 2, 2025, Shams Charania of ESPN posted that Luka Dončić had been traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA world was shaken. Immediately, fans’ emotions and reactions began to pour out, along with many questions. Why would the Mavs think it would be a good idea to trade the biggest rising star in the NBA? Had they forgotten that, less than eight months ago, he led the franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance in more than a decade?
The other key player involved in this trade was Anthony Davis, who was sent to the Mavericks. At first, many fans were unable to believe what had been carried out. “It was like 12:30 a.m.,” recalled senior Isaac Chen on first hearing of the trade. “I thought it was fake news, but then I read more into it… I kind of lost it.” Chen wasn’t the only one that was surprised; in fact, Luka and Davis themselves only found out that they were a part of the deal a few hours before the news was broken to the public.
How had the Mavericks agreed to give up a player of Luka’s caliber? At only 25 years old, Dončić is already one of the most dominant players in the league. His career averages include 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game (“Luka Doncic”). He is also a 5-time All-Star who led the league in scoring last year, finishing third in MVP voting; and, he’s just entering his prime! Did the Mavs make the right decision in giving him up? Senior Dylan Powers didn’t think so. “I think AD is a great player…but he’s old, and he’s at the end of his career.”
At 31 years old, Davis has also had a great deal of success in the league. He won a championship with the Lakers in the 2020 (COVID year) bubble, is averaging 24.2 points per game in thirteen seasons, and is a 10-time All-Star, among other accolades (“Anthony Davis”). “The Mavs did not make the right decision,” junior Lloyd Jin agreed. “Even though this trade is good for short-term success, they just traded their superstar, the best young player in the NBA, for an old, dusty AD. They really lost a lot.”
So now what? Dallas may have the best timeworn trio in AD, Irving, and Klay Thompson. If these players were each ten years younger, the Mavs would look much better! Luka, Lebron, and the Lakers, on the other hand, are one good center away from being serious title contenders. It will be interesting to see how Luka fares as a Laker, and whether he’ll make the Mavericks regret trading him away.
Works Cited
“Anthony Davis.” ESPN, https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6583/anthony-davis. Accessed 18 February 2025.
“Luka Doncic.” ESPN, https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3945274/luka-doncic. Accessed 18 February 2025.
