The NBA He does not leave his astonishment since on Saturday night – Argentina’s march on Sunday – the bomb exploded and the unexpected and shocking transfer was known that will lead to Luka Doncic to the Lakers already Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. And although many continue to question the decision of the Texan team to yield to the Slovenian, its franchise player and five times chosen in the best quintet in the league, in Dallas the reasons for the “bartering” are clear: Davis’s defensive power, on the one hand , and Doncic’s physical condition problems, on the other.
“The defense wins championships,” he said Nico Harrisongeneral manager of Dallas, in statements to the chain ESPN After knowing the agreement that closed with the Angels.
“I think getting a pivot All-NBA (which recognizes the three best quintets in the league) and All-Defensive (Similar but with the two best defensive quintets), with a defensive mentality, it gives us a better opportunity, “he added highlighting the qualities of Davis, which will turn 32 in March.
Shams Charaniaone of the journalists with the best sources inside the League, he said in ESPN that it was the Mavericks who contacted the Lakers to recently offer Doncic, who is now chosen by Angelinos to lead the franchise when LeBron James decide to retire.
For its part, Tim MacMahonESPN journalist with great access in the Mavericks, said that the Dallas team had “important concerns” about continuing with Doncic for its “constant problems of physical condition” and due to the extension of the contract “Supermax” that had to face this summer.
In an interview with El Diario The Dallas Morning NewsHarrison told more details of how the “negotiation” process with the Lakers was.
As he explained, more than a month ago he began to chat “basketball” with Rob PelinkaGeneral Director of the Californian team, with whom he has a relationship of many years.
“Suddenly, we said ‘Would you ever do this?’. ‘Nah, you’re joking, right?’. ‘Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would ‘. And then the agreement was built with time, during the last three weeks, “he said.
He added: “I understand why Dallas fans must have surprised. But we believe that this will help us where we need it most, in the defensive aspect. And we really feel that the defense wins championships. We position ourselves to win now and also To win in the future.
Charaia, who was the first to make public the news with a tweet who left everyone shock, said that “the agreement was negotiated in the shadow” and that neither Doncic nor Davis – not even LeBron – knew what was going to happen.
Harrison said that until Sunday morning he had not talked directly to the Slovenian, although he had done so with Bill Duffyyour agent. “My assumption is that Luka probably doesn’t want to talk to me,” he said.
The Mavericks manager confirmed that the possibility of having to sign a millionaire extension with Doncic, whose contract ends at the end of 2027, weighed when closing the transfer.
Is that the Slovenian was eligible to receive an extension super-maximum five years and 345 million dollars of the Mavericks at the end of this season. Now, with the pass to the confirmed Lakers, you can no longer choose that option.
“We believe that we have been ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, since I could opt for the super-maximum clause and it was also a year after being able to terminate any contract,” Harrison explained. “And we felt that we could get ahead of that. We know that there are teams that have been loading to try to sign it once it was available.”
Beyond the explanations, there are still many fans of the Mavericks who do not finish understanding the departure of Doncic, considered a generational talent and one of the most important stars of the NBA, a 25 -year figure with both present and future in the future in the Liga and undoubtedly the absolute referent of the franchise from its landing in Dallas.
After becoming a phenomenon of European basketball with the Real Madridwhere he was a companion of Facundo FacrazzoDoncic landed in the NBA in the 2018 Draft, in which he was chosen in the number 3 by Atlanta Hawks and immediately transferred to the Mavericks.
The Balkan was immediately pointed out as the heir to Dirk Nowitzki In the Texan franchise and responded to expectations, becoming one of the most difficult scorers to stop the entire league, with some averages always on the edge of triple-double.
In this season, despite the fact that an injury in the twins keeps him outside the court from Christmas Day, averages 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists.
Doncic is five times All-Star and five times chosen in the best league quintet. His charisma and talent not only made him an idol in Dallas but also one of the most popular faces of the NBA in recent years.
He led the Mavericks until the final of the West in 2022, where they lost to the after champions Golden State Warriors; And in 2024 he led them to Finales of the NBA, in which they fell to the Boston Celtics.
Video
Luka Doncic to the Lakers. This was Kevin Durant’s reaction in full game
Now he will share costumes with LeBron and seek Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain y Shaquille O’Neal.
For their part, the Mavericks stay with a Davis who is one of the most dominant pivots in the league in the last decade and won by LeBron the last ring so far of the Lakers, the 2020 in the ‘bubble’.
Without maiden to the helm, Kyrie Irving You will have to assume the address of the team that trains Jason Kidd. The template also has Klay ThompsonWarriors icon with four rings, but suffered an important performance downturn in recent years.
Davis will join a powerful rotation in the position of five, in which they stand out Dereck Lively (now injured) and Daniel Gafford. P.J. Washington It is another fundamental name inside but in the position of Ala-Pivote.
Doncic’s injury greatly affected the Mavericks, which fell to the eighth place of the West Conference with a record of 26-23.