It's been over two months since the Dallas Mavericks made the trade of the decade by sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a single first-round pick. Not only did an unthinkable trade happen, but it happened for a cheap price, as no other team got the opportunity to beat the deal because the Lakers and Mavericks negotiated in secret.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon decided to write down a thought experiment, which saw him come up with the 28 other packages the Mavericks could've considered. What MacMahon added for the Warriors as their potential package will have Mavericks fans salivating.
"What they could have offered: Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Gary Payton II, 2025 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2026 First-Round Pick Swap (GSW), 2027 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2030 Top-20 Protected First-Round Pick (GSW)."
"Luka and Steph. This is a supersized version of the trade Golden State sent to Miami to acquire Jimmy Butler. Here, Kuminga and Podziemski are included along with three first-round picks and one swap."
This is a much bigger alternative to the Jimmy Butler acquisition the Warriors ultimately committed to. Let's take a look at how this package would have affected both franchises if we got to see this instead of Doncic joining the Lakers.
The Warriors Create One Of The Most Compelling Backcourts In NBA History
At the time of the trade deadline, the Warriors were fighting as hard as they could to just get into Playoff contention after a season where they treaded water for the majority of the year. Their acquisition of Jimmy Butler has paid dividends with a 22-6 record when Butler is on the court. However, the addition of Luka Doncic would create a transformational shift in the franchise.
Doncic would slot in as the team's No. 1 option ahead of Stephen Curry because Doncic is over a decade younger. LeBron James is taking a backseat to Doncic and playing some of his most efficient basketball in years because Doncic makes the game so much easier. Curry would yield similar benefits without needing to exhaust himself on offense every game just to have a shot at winning.
Given the success Luka had with Kyrie Irving as his backcourt partner, we can only imagine how he'd look alongside Curry. Doncic has more of a playmaking edge than Curry, which would also benefit other teammates as Luka is an elite floor-raiser.
It unquestionably makes the Warriors a more dangerous threat for the NBA title. However, the Warriors replicating the winning success they've had with Butler might be challenging because of Butler's multi-faceted defensive role, in addition to the Warriors losing far fewer players in that deal than this hypothetical one for Doncic.
The Mavericks Don't Get A Superstar, But Get More Assets
The Dallas Mavericks sought out a superstar player when they were trading Doncic and believed Anthony Davis fit that bill. However, this Warriors package doesn't offer them a single superstar or even a potential superstar. Nonetheless, it includes the Warriors' brightest young players alongside two enticing draft assets.
Jonathan Kuminga is averaging 15.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season. His role has been greatly diminished since the Jimmy Butler acquisition, but if he instead went to Dallas in February, he'd return from injury and compete with PJ Washington for a starting role. The same goes for Andrew Wiggins with Naji Marshall, with Wiggins averaging 18.1 points and 4.5 rebounds this season.
Brandin Podziemski is arguably the brightest young talent in the deal, averaging 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds this season. Gary Payton II is a redundant inclusion in this deal, averaging 6.6 points and offering a POA defender when Jason Kidd needs it.
This trade gives the Mavericks a lot of assets but not a lot of usable rotational players. The Mavericks had the archetypes of all the incoming players on their roster anyway, with this necessitating additional deals to clear out any redundancies. It might have given the team a brighter future over the long run, but it lacks the simplicity the Davis acquisition brought.
Would This Be A Better Deal?
It's hard to say. None of the players even come close to matching the value Anthony Davis brings as a single player. The Mavericks didn't need a rotation of 14 very good NBA players alongside Kyrie Irving when they made the deal, they wanted a proper superstar. In those terms, there was no player better than Davis for the Mavericks' plans.
The Warriors don't offer them any elite players or picks either, so they'll likely not view this package as a great improvement, despite the various high-potential pieces in it. This is a much better deal for the future of the Mavericks, but that wasn't what the franchise was looking for when they were making the trade anyway, so we really can't draw a conclusion.
