Cooper:
The Lakers totally nailed it by trading Luka Dončić in exchange for Anthony Davis, and, honestly, I think they definitely won this deal.
Dončić is one of the best players out there. He is an elite scorer, playmaker, and clutch performer who can carry an offense by himself. While Davis is an excellent defender and a switchable big, his injury history has made him unreliable. On the other hand, Dončić has consistently posted MVP-type numbers in the last few years. To put him with LeBron James (or even as the future face of the franchise) will make the Lakers contenders for a while. The Mavericks (Mavs) might receive a short–term boost with better defense, but surrendering a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Dončić is a massive risk that gives the advantage to LA.
Will:
This trade left people wondering why the Mavs would give up their franchise player just a year after he led them to the NBA finals. My opinion is that the Mavs believed that while Dončić’s sub-par defense wasn’t the end-all during the regular season, having a defensive liability on the court during the playoffs would make it too difficult to get over the hump. With that thought in mind, and knowing that the league-wide opinion of Luka is that he is a top five player, the Mavs decided to see what they could get for him.
And while Davis and Max Christe and a first-rounder might not seem like a fair deal for a superstar like Dončić, I believe that the Mavs and the Lakers can both come away from this trade better off than before.
For starters, Dončić needed to get away from an organization that cared more about his weight than his ability, and I believe that the change of scenery and the chance to play with Lebron James, his idol, will make him an even better player than he was in Dallas.
For Davis, I think this puts a chip back on his shoulder; he probably will now have a newfound motivation to get revenge on the Lakers for trading him after he helped bring them a championship. If Davis can play with a fire lit under him the rest of the year, the Mavs will still remain contenders, and he and Kyrie Irving will have a chance to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Additionally, I believe that Max Christe will have a breakthrough season in Dallas, playing a larger role with the Mavs than he had a chance to play in LA.
Only time will tell who won this blockbuster trade, but we both believe that the Lakers will come out on top when all is said and done.
