The recent blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers caused a seismic shift in the NBA, and it has been the talk of the basketball community ever since. However, an intriguing subplot reveals that before this headline-making deal, the Mavericks explored another audacious move: a potential swap of Dončić for the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards.
The Dallas Mavericks Tried to Trade For Anthony Edwards
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison reached out to the Timberwolves to gauge their interest in trading Edwards for Dončić.
The proposal was swiftly declined, with Minnesota reportedly “stunned” that Dallas would even consider trading away their franchise cornerstone — a sentiment shared across the league even weeks after the trade went through.
Had the Mavericks and Timberwolves agreed to this monumental exchange, the NBA landscape would have been irrevocably altered. Of course, given that the two teams met in the Western Conference Finals a year ago and that Edwards is one of the three or four other players in contention for “face of the NBA,” it kind of makes sense that Minnesota emphatically rejected the offer (and that Dallas tried to pry him away).
At 23 years old, Edwards is one of the youngest (and arguably most exciting) superstars in the NBA. In his fifth season, he’s already been named a three-time NBA All-Star and was a member of the All-NBA Second Team in 2024, leading his team to the WCF that same year. He’s also fourth in the NBA in scoring (27.3 per game) and sixth in jersey sales in 2025.
So yeah, why would you want to get rid of an asset like that — both from a basketball and business point of view? (Funny enough, Dončić was eighth on that list).
What’s even more interesting is that, in their quest to trade Dončić, the Mavericks also reportedly approached the Milwaukee Bucks about a deal. The exact details of the trade offer are unknown, but they apparently tried to acquire superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Bucks responded similarly to the Timberwolves, per reporter Gery Woelfel.
While Antetokounmpo is a much older superstar (30), he’s a superstar nonetheless. He’s also on the verge of one of his best seasons yet, shooting a career-high 60.6% from the floor while averaging 30.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Once again, you can understand the hesitancy to trade away a player like that, regardless of what they were getting in return.
There’s also another side to this: culture. When you think of the Timberwolves, you think of “Ant-Man.” When you think of the Bucks, you think of the “Greek Freak.” They are beloved by their teammates and even more so by the fanbases in their respective cities. To trade away a once-in-a-lifetime type talent that generates so much money, attention, and success for your team is something you just don’t do… unless you’re Nico Harrison, apparently.
It’s fascinating to consider the lengths to which the Mavs front office went to deal Dončić, speaking with multiple teams in high-stakes negotiations, all while keeping their intentions under wraps.
