By Nico Zeballos

Dončić on draft night in 2018 after being traded to the Mavericks. Photo credit: Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE/Getty Images.

For several seasons, five-time NBA All-Star Luka Dončić was the center of the system and community for the Dallas Mavericks. A once-in-a-lifetime talent who put the franchise on his back, the Slovenian native was drafted in 2018 as a part of the continuing connection between the NBA and the EuroLeague. The former Madrid player was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, but Dallas and Atlanta made the trade on draft night, exchanging Trae Young for Dončić. Dončić quickly earned the respect of the team and the league. He rapidly became more than a basketball player in his city, a symbol of winning and an idol worshipped by Dallas natives who believed he could bring a championship back home. That’s why the whole world was shocked to hear the news on February 2 that he had been traded to the LA Lakers

How do NBA trades work? Franchises are enabled to trade players, draft picks, and large sums of money in exchange for these in their best interest. The trades must follow the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. The important aspects of the Agreement include:

1. When a player is traded, their contract moves to the next team, which includes salary and contract length.
2. There is a salary cap in the NBA. Teams don’t have unlimited money. Trades cannot exceed certain monetary sums, which are judged by the league.
3. Teams can trade future draft picks, but they cannot make this action in consecutive years.
4. Some players have no-trade clauses, allowing for their approval of any trade involving themselves.
5. The trade deadline is on a set date in February every year (Feb. 6 this year).

Here’s what you need to know about this historic trade. It involved the Los Angeles Lakers, the Utah Jazz, and the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles. In exchange for those three, Dallas acquired Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The Utah Jazz facilitated the deal by getting Jalen Hood-Schifino (now a Philadelphia 76er) and two second-round picks, one each from the Lakers and Mavericks. Additionally, the Jazz sent $55,000 to both Dallas and Los Angeles to comply with league trade regulations.  

Mavericks fans protesting the trade. Photo credit: Elias Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News via AP.

What does this mean? The Mavericks gave up Kleber, a versatile forward/center and a solid defensive pickup who averages 35%-38% in his career three-point percentage. Kleber might not be a star, but he is a reliable Stretch Big who can complement Dončić’s playing style. Morris is not a game-changing forward pickup for the Lakers, but he brings even more veteran experience and toughness to a young championship-contending team that runs through debatable GOAT LeBron James. Christie, a young shooting guard, is a solid long-term investment that has a high upside if developed correctly. He also was an important piece of LA’s bench but not a massive loss in the context of the trade. Utah received Hood-Schifino, who is unproven but also has high upside potential. The draft picks are also valuable. The Mavericks gained a well-renowned big man in Davis, but injury concerns could continue to put Dallas in jeopardy. The Lakers won this trade. 

Nico Harrison in a press conference. Photo credit: Dallas Morning News.

Who would make such a shocking trade? Dallas’s general manager, Nico Harrison. Harrison, formerly a Nike executive, had always had an audacious mindset in team building. Despite Dončić’s brilliance, Dallas had yet to build a championship-caliber team. 9-time All-Star Kyrie Irving and Dončić hadn’t gotten the expected results of bringing a championship home but seemed to be creating a solid foundation for the future. Harrison saw Davis as an important defensive piece to Dallas that could be a major step towards a title.  Additionally, he also received a first-round pick that could help with rebuilding in the future. 

Was this a smart move by the Mavericks? Not many think so. Legendary Maverick Dirk Nowitizki stated, “When I saw the news, I was actually all across on the other side of the world. I was vacationing with the family in the Maldives. … Actually about to go to lunch and then we’re leaving that day to travel back and my phone starts blowing up.” Pelicans shooting guard CJ McCollum tweeted, “Gotta pack them bags just in case now a days. if the don got traded only lord knows.” NBA fan Turner Shield (’25) believes, “Luca and LeBron won’t be able to work together because they are both the best players in the league. The Grizzlies still remain the best team, in my opinion.” 

Dončić and LeBron sharing the court. Photo credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.

Harrrison has had an unsteady history with high-stakes negotiations. At Nike, Harrison failed to keep Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry with Nike for sponsorship, and eventually Curry switched to Under Armour, where he recently signed a new ten-year, one billion dollar contract. At Nike, Harrison didn’t offer Curry his own signature shoe deal because he didn’t think of him on the same level as James or Kevin Durant. To this day, the loss of Curry was Nike’s greatest misstep in their history. 

What does this decision mean for the league? For the Western Conference, the move unleashes chaos. The Lakers, already run by the pure domination of James, receive a young superstar who will carry the torch after James’s career. A 25-year-old MVP-caliber paired up with arguably the GOAT sent fear throughout the league. The power dynamic has switched completely. The ripple effects of this move will continue to be massive. Rival franchises are now scrambling to counter the Lakers’ new super duo. Dallas, once hopeful for a championship with Luka, is left searching for a new identity. Meanwhile, franchises like the Suns and Nuggets must reevaluate their rosters to stand a chance against this new juggernaut. 

Since the trade, the Mavs are 6-8, and the Lakers are 10-2. LA is currently 4th in the Western Conference, while Dallas is 9th. The two teams met on Feb. 25 in LA, with the Lakers winning 107-99. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Wed., April 9 in Dallas.

Featured image courtesy of @lakersvshaters via instagram.