Numerous NBA pundits on sports talk shows say the Mavericks have improved their chances of winning a championship after trading Doncic for Anthony Davis.
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Credit: (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
DALLAS — Why would any team trade away a 25-year-old generational talent, who just led them to the NBA Finals seven months ago, and is still in the prime of his career?
Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison had his reasons, which he explained in a press conference on Saturday. The primary one? “Getting better defensively.” Reports also emerged suggesting concerns within the front office about Luka Dončić’s fitness level and his commitment to signing a supermax deal this summer.
But whatever the reasons, the deal is done—Dončić is gone.
And Mavs fans are not pleased.
Despite the backlash, Harrison remains confident that this move will give Dallas a better shot at an NBA title.
At the time Dončić was sidelined with a calf strain, the Mavericks were sitting at No. 4 in the Western Conference. But since then, and amid a series of other injuries, they’ve dropped to the No. 11 spot in the play-in tournament, just one game above .500 at 26-25.
In the wake of what is arguably the most shocking mid-season trade in NBA history, many of the league’s top analysts actually back Harrison’s decision. Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Stephen A. Smith, and others have suggested that the Mavericks might now be the new favorites in the Western Conference.
“For the next two years, I think Dallas won that trade,” O’Neal said.
Former Mav Vince Carter echoed Shaq’s sentiment.
“Dallas right now is ready to roll,” Carter said.
“I’ve got Dallas as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference right now,” Stephen A. Smith stated.
“The Dallas Mavericks might’ve just become the second-best team in the West,” Barkley added.
Jay Williams, while still picking the Oklahoma City Thunder as his top pick for the West, responded with a simple “Yes” when asked if Dallas could challenge for that spot on ESPN’s Get Up.
Is this just the usual shock jock sports talk? Maybe.
Or maybe Nico Harrison had the guts to make a bold move that others wouldn’t dare.
Only time will tell. But the question remains: at what cost?