The Dallas Mavericks did the unthinkable and used a mundane NBA trade deadline period to pull off a blockbuster that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.
Dallas acquired Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick while Los Angeles landed Doncic, Max Kleber and Markieff Morris. Danny Ainge’s Utah Jazz, who got involved as a third team, collected Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 Los Angeles Clippers second-round pick and a 2025 Mavericks second-rounder to finalize the deal. It shook the league, social media and fans everywhere who tried to enjoy their Sunday morning.
It also reminded the Boston Celtics of their fortunes behind their last major blockbuster — a three-team swap two offseasons ago — commissioned by president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
The Celtics traded Marcus Smart, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala and the 35th overall selection in the 2023 draft for Kristaps Porzingis, the 25th overall pick in the ’23 draft and a 2024 unprotected first-rounder from the Golden State Warriors. The Memphis Grizzlies acquired Smart and the Washington Wizards landed Gallinari, Muscala, the No. 35 pick and guard Tyus Jones.
At the time, this wasn’t labeled a Stevens fleece. Porzingis was limited to 65 appearances during his run in Washington due to various calf injuries, which extended a trend dating back to his time with the New York Knicks six years prior. Smart, on the other hand, was a year removed from being named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year and nine years into solidifying himself as a fan-favorite in Boston.
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Smart wasn’t untouchable, but it appeared as though the franchise’s sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft was nearing Celtic-for-life territory. Stevens proved unless your name was Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, all bets were off and that was emphasized just before the team returned for training camp.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0MCwl7RUlaJgkuHfjpnm65?si=x5MjApgdTD-uDaGfMjr6UQ
Stevens didn’t receive a unanimous approval stamp outside TD Garden when the team said goodbye to Smart. However, sentimental feelings aside, the Doncic swap reinvigorates the Porzingis trade. If Boston’s 64-win regular season and its raising of Banner 18 wasn’t enough to support Stevens’ genius, then looking at Dallas’ return for Doncic should.
Boston netted two first-round draft picks for Smart, a defensive-minded role player with a streaky scoring reputation. That’s double the first-round selections Dallas acquired for Doncic, a generational talent capable of leading a team to the NBA Finals. He’s been an All-Star and All-NBA First-Team nominee in each of his first five seasons. Doncic is 25 years old and hasn’t even reached his prime yet.
If anything, Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison should’ve phoned Stevens for some how-to assistance before reaching out to the Lakers.
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Dallas, for questionable reasons, gave up on a franchise superstar and compromised its organization’s future. For what? Now the Mavericks need to win with a limited window of contention in the Western Conference. Kyrie Irving is 32 years old, Davis is 31, and can fall apart like a Jenga tower at any given moment.
Harrison and the Mavericks’ front office just handed the Lakers a gift, bailing them out of their post-James retirement dilemma.
The Doncic-to-LA trade became the latest example of why “Big Brain Brad” ain’t a joke. Stevens lives up to the title, even when he’s not pulling the strings.
