Doncic to the Lakers
What are the pros and cons of Doncic being traded to the Lakers? As many know, the Lakers already have an incredible team with stars like Lebron James, Austin Reeves, and now Luka Doncic. Luka was previously a point guard for the Dallas Mavericks until it was publicized on February 2nd, 2025, that Luka was being traded to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, who was previously the center and power forward.
Luka with a Lakers jersey after the trade
To many people, nobody ever thought this would happen. It’s the most shocking trade ever. Luka and Anthony Davis are phenomenal players. Many people believe that the Mavs made the wrong decision, thinking that Luka is worth more than Anthony Davis. “Many believe that the Mavs erred. There was no bidding war for Doncic, which might have allowed them to extract more value.
Furthermore, Doncic is among the most decorated and celebrated players in the NBA despite being 25 years old. Since winning Rookie of the Year in 2019, he’s become a five-time All-Star and All-NBA selection. He consistently led his team to the playoffs, even to the 2025 NBA Finals. His career points (12,089) and assists (3,489) rank sixth and fifth all-time in Mavs history, respectively” Lastwordsonsports.com. Luka is an outstanding and diverse player; these stats show it alone. Anthony Davis is no one to look past, either. “It’s not like Davis’s accomplishments don’t measure up, though. He’s a 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and five-time All-Defensive selection who cut the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. He was instrumental in the Lakers winning a championship in 2020, his first season with the franchise. Before landing with Los Angeles, he was the face of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise, becoming one of their best players ever” Lastwordsonsports.com. With both players being outstanding, I think it just comes down to Luka being more popular than Ad.
Anthony Davis with a Mavericks jersey after the trade
Since Luka’s first couple of seasons, he has been dominating the court and putting up historic numbers. Luka is a heavyweight scorer. He also isn’t scared to pass the ball, averaging 8.3 assists per game in his career. “Luka Dončić (LOO-kuh DON-hitch) has put up historic numbers through the first two NBA seasons, producing one of the best starts to a career the league has ever seen. He turned 21 years old on Feb. 28, 2020, and finished with the second-highest scoring average (24.2 ppg) by a player before his 21st birthday in league history (LeBron James, 25.0 ppg). He also produced 21 of his franchise-record 25 triple-doubles before his 21st birthday, by far the most by a player before turning 21 in league history” NBA.com. Luka is not scared to take the ball to the basket and score easy or even contested layups or shots. Luka is 6’6, 230lb. He has a bigger build, allowing him to push through the defenders and giving him dominance on the court.
Luka Playing for the Mavericks
Anthony Davis is no one to play around with, either. Anthony arguably has a better statistics line than Luka. AD is one of the most dominant players who played for the Lakers while he was there. With his height and size, he dominated on the court. “Davis is an NBA Champion (2020), nine-time NBA All-Star (2014-21, 2024), All-Star Game MVP (2017), four-time All-NBA First Team selection (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2024), All-Rookie First Team selection (2013), and three-time NBA blocks leader (2014, 2015, 2018). Anthony helped the United States win gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Madrid. He has appeared in 736 NBA games (729 starts) for Los Angeles and New Orleans and 60 playoff games (all starts) for the Lakers and Pelicans.” NBA.com” Davis’s stat line is potentially better than Luka’s. But having someone like Lebron James on your team brings one’s popularity down.
Anthony Davis is playing for the Lakers
Looking at both players’ stat Lines, you can see why both sides may have had a better or worse deal in this trade, not to mention the other things that were part of this trade. “It’s been about that much time since the Dallas Mavericks traded their 25-year-old superstar, Luka Dončić, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, to the rival Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2019 first-round pick” yahoosports.com.
Where to find this information: yahoosports.com.
