Lakers still fleeced Mavericks in Luka Doncic trade (even with Cooper Flagg miracle)

The Los Angeles Lakers somehow traded for Luka Doncic before the deadline. To make it even more puzzling, Dallas only got one first-round draft pick and could not land Austin Reaves. It was just Anthony Davis and Max Christie that made it into the final package. The deal still seems impossible. It was Rob Pelinka taking full advantage of Nico Harrison, and Mavericks fans shouldn’t forget that after the lottery luck granted them Cooper Flagg.

Dallas supporters will make the case they don’t get Flagg without trading Luka, but it was not the Lakers pick that landed him on the Mavericks. Instead, Dallas had a nightmare stretch run after the deal to fall into the lottery. This was a team who made the NBA Finals in 2024 with Luka leading the charge. The ping-pong balls bounced their way despite just a 1.8 percent chance of getting the top pick. It was a miracle, but that does not save the Mavs from themselves.

If Harrison made this awful trade, he will make more. He already has for that matter. The Quentin Grimes deal was a disaster that prevented Dallas from having the flexibility to sign players as injuries struck. Harrison also overpaid for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford. Their finals run papered over those transactions, but the bill came due after Luka’s departure. Things will only get worse as Dallas has limited draft capital and an aging roster around Flagg.

Lakers still fleeced the Mavericks in the Luka Doncic trade

The Lakers got a 26-year-old superstar in his prime. All it cost them for a top-five player in the world was a top-25 player, a role player, and one first-round pick. Look at what the Suns paid for Kevin Durant or what other teams gave up to land a superstar. This was a laughably bad return for Dallas in comparison. It was all because Harrison did not shop Doncic. He wanted Anthony Davis and made an awful trade to get him.

Cooper Flagg is a generational prospect. He should be a star, but Nico Harrison has far from saved himself. Dallas has just three tradeable first-round picks to upgrade their roster. Kyrie Irving is likely out for the majority of next season, and the Mavs have too many bigs and zero ball-handlers. Harrison must burn through his draft capital now in hopes of competing for a couple of years. Then, AD and Kyrie will be aging out of their primes.

The Mavericks certainly wish they had Austin Reaves or another first-round draft pick to trade now. Not maximizing the return for Luka is still hurting them. This was an awful deal that will continue to haunt Dallas. Yes, they got lucky in the lottery, but Harrison still deserves scorn for his nightmare handling of this trade.

The Los Angeles Lakers can only laugh. Luka Doncic is ready to lead their franchise for the next decade and will make them an annual title contender. Who knows what the Mavs will do next, but fans can bet Nico Harrison has another awful trade up his sleeve. It is only a matter of time.