The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world on Saturday night, trading All-Star guard and perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for All-Star forward and All-Defensive team selection Anthony Davis. As everyone around the league processes one of the most shocking moves in the history of pro sports, NBA rumors are emerging about the rationale behind the trade.
It’s a three-team deal, with Dallas receiving Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick while Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris head to Los Angeles. The Utah Jazz helped finance the deal, in exchange for receiving 2025 second-round picks from the Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.
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Importantly, per NBA insider Marc Stein, Doncic never requested a trade out of Dallas. Furthermore, multiple reporters covering both the Lakers and Mavericks shared that Doncic, Davis and LeBron James were never informed about the ongoing trade talks until the two teams agreed to the deal. They weren’t alone.
- Luka Doncic stats (ESPN): 28.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 7.8 APG, 46.4% FG
ESPN nabs senior reporter Brian Windhorst reported on Saturday night’s SportsCenter that Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison didn’t let anyone around the league know this was happening. Not only did Dallas not trade Doncic to the highest bidder, per Windhorst, it reportedly “didn’t even get the entire package’ from Los Angeles for the 25-year-old superstar.
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As for who made this franchise-altering decision for Dallas, it wasn’t owner Mark Cuban. When he sold his controlling stake to the Adelson family and billionaire Miriam Adelson in 2023, it was expected that he would still have control over basketball operations along with a 27 percent stake in the team. However, NBA rumors surfaced this season that Cuban didn’t have the amount of “operational control” he expected with Adelson giving the full decision-making control over the roster to Harrison.
- Dallas Mavericks future draft picks: 2025 1st, 2026 1st, 2029 1st (Lakers), 2031 1st
“This deal materialized in the shadows … LeBron James had no idea this was coming. Anthony Davis had no idea this was coming. I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.”
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on the Luka Doncic trade between the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
What’s even more surprising to everyone around the league is how the deal came together. According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Mavericks approached the Lakers about a trade for Doncic. Stein also noted that the Mavericks “did this on their own accord” with Davis as their big target.
Why was Luka Doncic traded?
Immediately after the trade was reported by Charania, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison confirmed the deal – which is pending physicals – and explained his rationale for swapping the 25-year-old Doncic for a 31-year-old Davis.
“I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison on why he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers (H/T ESPN)
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Following his comments, NBA rumors quickly surfaced on why Harrison specifically seemed to sour so quickly on one of the three best players in the NBA. ESPN’s Tim McMahon reported that Dallas had “major concerns moving forward” regarding Doncic’s constant conditioning issues and the looming supermax contract extension it would take to re-sign him.
- Luka Doncic contract (Spotrac): $43.031 million salary in 2025, $45.999 million salary for 2025-’26,$48.967 million player option in 2026
Harrison also evidently didn’t believe that Doncic’s style of play was championship-caliber basketball, with his defensive weaknesses viewed as a liability that the Mavericks couldn’t overcome. Dallas was also reportedly worried about the future injury risks because of his conditioning issues. Part of that stemmed from reports that Doncic weighed as much as 260 pounds this season, per ESPN‘s Dave McMenamin.
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- Anthony Davis stats (ESPN): 25.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.1 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 52.8% FG
The Mavericks’ durability concerns with Doncic are a bit ironic given the targeted acquisition of the 31-year-old Davis. From 2020 through NBA games today, Doncic (289) has played in nearly 40 more games than Davis (250). Furthermore, Davis has played in 55-plus games just once over the last five years whereas Doncic has started in at least 65 games in four consecutive years entering this season.
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- Anthony Davis contract (Spotrac): $43.219 million in 2024-’25, $57.604 million in 2025-’26, $62.213 million in 2026-’27, $66.812 million player option in 2027
NBA rumors also surfaced late Saturday night that there was additional concern from the Mavericks’ side about Doncic opting out in 2026. While it would’ve meant turning down a supermax contract worth $350 million over 5 years, the Mavericks’ organization had concerns they would lose the young superstar.
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The deal certainly makes this team better in the short term. When Dereck Lively II returned from a stress fracture in his right ankle, the Mavericks lineup in the NBA playoffs could be Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Davis and Lively.
However, failing to win a championship within the next two seasons could have disastrous long-term ramifications. The Mavericks don’t own the right to their first-round picks from 2027-2030, a timeline where Davis will be in his mid-30s with a history of injuries, Irving will be in his mid-30s and Thompson will likely have retired.