Seriously, though. What were they thinking?
Nico Harrison may have said it was because of his conditioning and lack of defensive potential, and that may have been the real reason, but many still are curious as to why the Dallas Mavericks traded their generational talent they had at point guard in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, who some might say is a bit past his prime.
Whatever the reason, analysts and fans are still puzzled as to why the team signed off on this deal, and one ESPN analyst in particular was not a fan of the decision.
Zach Kram of ESPN composed a list of the biggest mistakes for each NBA franchise, and needless to say, the one for the Mavericks was their glorious move they decided to pull off this past February, and it was ranked at the top of the list.
"Because the Mavericks' post-Doncic collapse in the 2024-25 season meant they ended up in the lottery, where they miraculously lucked into the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg their future looks brighter than that of the Suns, Bucks, Nets or Kings," Kram wrote.
Kram also pressed the issue on just how massive the trade was, practically inciting a riot within the Mavericks fanbase and even making fans question if the information was accurate or not.
"Only one transaction this century was so surprising that it sparked questions about whether ESPN's Shams Charania's social media account been hacked when he reported it. Only one transaction was so absurd that it became a flashbulb memory, and fans across the world will remember, for decades to come, where they were when they learned the news. Only one transaction, most of all, was so outrageous that it sparked a mass revolt from its fan base."
A bone-headed move by the Mavs front office? Yes, but claiming the first overall pick and taking Cooper Flagg with definitely has to soften the blow a little bit.
Category: Basketball
