With the Dallas Mavericks trading star Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for fellow star Anthony Davis, the Mavericks have gone from a powerful offense to a more balanced team.
This move drastically improves Dallas’ defense, especially at the rim. Given that the Mavericks already have legitimate rim-protectors in Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, adding Davis only improves an already bolstered front-court.
After Blockbuster Trade, Dallas Mavericks Get Stronger on Defense
Throughout his career, whether it be in New Orleans or Los Angeles, Davis has made it known that he’s averse to playing center and that his game thrives when playing power forward.
It allows head coach Jason Kidd to put him where he feels most comfortable while either Lively or Gafford can share responsibilities at the 5. Kidd also has the luxury of putting Davis at the 3 to space the floor out, while Lively and Gafford share front-court responsibilities.
Dallas general manager Nico Harrison entrenched himself in Mavericks lore by making this trade, whether it be good, bad, or indifferent. He went all in on making the Mavericks better on the defensive side of the floor and dealt away Dallas basketball’s favorite son.
Harrison told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that swapping Dončić for Davis makes the team “built to win now and in the future” thanks to its improved defense.
The salary cap flexibility Harrison and the Mavericks created from this trade will be beneficial because it’s hard to see the current roster as a true title contender.
Regardless of Davis’ tangibles, he’s six years older than Dončić and has several more injury concerns, which makes the latter simply a more valuable and franchise-altering player.
Dallas also added shooting guard Max Christie, who is a solid bench piece but not significant enough to make a splash. Along with that, the Mavericks also landed a first-round pick in 2029.
Just one first…for a player who carried this team to an NBA Finals last year and who scores 28 points per game for his career.
That’s what made this trade so bizarre.
Defense or not, does the near-32-year-old Davis improve the outlook of this team? It remains to be seen. It will be intriguing to see what he can do with Kyrie Irving, but Harrison’s desire to do anything to pry Davis from L.A. is incredibly puzzling given the depth of the Mavericks’ frontcourt.
