The trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers that sent Luka Dončić to L.A. in exchange for Anthony Davis wasn’t just a blockbuster — it was also a mystery.
Negotiated with a level of secrecy typically reserved for diplomats and spymasters, the deal has fueled both conspiracy theories and confusion.
Why would the Mavericks trade away one of the league’s top five players — someone who led them to the NBA Finals just last season?
Dončić Responds
Even Dončić, the centerpiece of the deal, remains befuddled by the move.
“Everyone was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,” Dončić said at a press conference held by the Lakers.
The five-time All-NBA point guard said that when he received the call informing him of the trade, he “didn’t really believe it at first” and “had to check” whether it was April Fool’s Day.
But once it set in that the deal was real, Dončić said “it was hard” for him — “especially the first day.”
Dončić was drafted by the Mavericks in 2018 — the third overall pick. In his farewell message to Mavs fans, the Slovenian superstar said he thought he was going to retire a Maverick.
As tough as the news was, Dončić was beaming today. After all, he’s going to play in L.A. — the land of Hollywood and Showtime.
Dončić is likely the heir apparent to King James — and follows in the footsteps of Lakers backcourt greats Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West.
Conspiracy Theories Abound
Still, Dončić’s smile won’t do much to explain the mystery of his departure.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has cited several possible reasons for the trade: his conditioning and fit with the team culture, the front office’s reluctance to commit to a supermax deal, and concerns about their ability to outbid other teams if Dončić tested free agency. But they don’t add up.
So the online rumor mill has filled in the blanks, with much of the speculation revolving around the Mavericks’ majority owners — the casino magnate Adelson family — and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Some allege that the powerful Adelsons, who own the Sands resort in Las Vegas, are angling to bring an NBA franchise to the city and did Silver and the league a favor by giving L.A. its next big star — and a potential boost for its flagging ratings.
The Adelsons recently helped secure an agreement for the NBA’s return to China. In October, a series of NBA preseason games will be played at their Sands Arena in Macau, the Chinese territory and gambling capital of the East, where their largest casino resort is located.
What Do the Adelsons Want?
Others allege the Adelsons want to cut corners and are averse to big spending. In other words, the casino magnates, the theories go, didn’t want to gamble on Dončić.
For virtually every NBA observer, that logic doesn’t add up. A bet on Dončić would be a sure win. His career numbers — averaging 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game — speak for themselves. The Mavericks hit the jackpot when they drafted him in the lottery.
Regardless, Harrison has taken virtually all of the blame for a decision that must have been greenlighted, if not ordered, by the Adelsons. Convenient for them.
Davis Is the Overlooked Piece in the Deal
Then there’s the other big piece of the trade: Anthony Davis. A top-15 NBA player, prolific scorer in the paint, and elite defender, Davis has been overlooked in the reaction to the deal. He’s a two-way great, something Dončić, for all his brilliance, is not.
Still, considering Dončić’s age — he’s six years younger than Davis — one would have expected the Lakers to give up more draft capital. Instead, they only parted with a single first-round pick in 2029.
The truth of why the Mavericks traded Dončić will come out at some point. But the league by then will have already gotten used to Dončić as a Laker.
The real reasons behind the Mavericks’ decision to trade Dončić will eventually come out eventually. But by then, the league will already be used to seeing him in Lakers purple and gold.
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