When, around six in the morning Spanish time, Sams Charania, the NBA trade guru, wrote that Luka Doncic was going to play for the Lakers, many fans thought that the ESPN journalist's account had been hacked. At that time, several games were still being played, and images of players (including Kevin Durant) visualizing the news on their smartphones (and being amazed) went viral. The clichés were immediately unleashed. Earthquake, bomb... The truth is that the best basketball league in the world had rarely witnessed a star exchange like the one on Sunday.
It is unique, perhaps the greatest ever (time will confirm), because of the protagonists, the caliber of the franchises, and the timing. The Lakers, who still boast the excellence of LeBron James at 40, are welcoming a global star who is not yet 26. A team, the second most decorated in history (and that ongoing rivalry with the Celtics is significant), that in the past made some of the most impactful acquisitions in history, from Abdul Jabbar to Shaquille O'Neal, through Pau Gasol, whom they signed from Memphis another February 1 (17 years ago).
One of the most astonishing aspects of the move lies in the absolute secrecy. Doncic himself did not know, neither did the coaches of both franchises (Jason Kidd and JJ Redick), nor did Anthony Davis, and apparently - although it seems unbelievable considering that Rich Paul, his agent and confidant, was involved in the operation - not even LeBron, who found out while dining in New York after winning and performing at Madison Square Garden.
The backstory also includes a handful of unanswered questions. The main one, the great mystery that sparks rumors and controversies, leaving rival General Managers speechless, is why the Mavericks decided (they were the ones who knocked on the Staples Center's door on January 7) to part ways with a genius who led them to the NBA Finals and is at the peak of his career.
The main architect and figurehead responded to that, with more or less arguments. Nico Harrison, Mavericks' General Manager and former Nike guru, is the only one who has spoken publicly (in The Dallas Morning News). He said that to win championships, "defense" is needed, a double-edged dart, praising Anthony Davis and criticizing Doncic. "We really felt that we were ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, with Luka Doncic being eligible for the supermax contract and also a year away from being able to opt out of any contract," he candidly stated, exposing some of the underlying reasons for the move.
Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison, explaining the trade.Sue OgrockiAP
The Mavericks were on track to offer the former Real Madrid player the largest contract in history, over $345 million for the next five seasons. Doncic would only settle for that. In other words, he would not accept a lower offer. Therefore, if they did not present it to him, Dallas would face a final season, the next one, with their star, who would then leave as a free agent. With nothing in return. Apparently, as reported by Tim McMahon - a journalist who will publish Doncic's unauthorized biography next month - the Mavericks' management was very concerned about Doncic's constant physical condition issues.
He has not played since Christmas Day due to a thigh injury (he has not played more than 70 games in a season since his rookie year), and criticisms of his weight have been constant. A seemingly definitive reason for the Mavericks, who lost over 700,000 followers on Instagram in a matter of hours, to focus on the present rather than the future. They only spoke with another franchise, the Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Because, in the short term, there seems to be a winner. Jason Kidd will manage a lineup to win now with Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and PJ Washington, among others. But the Lakers, who will need to fit in Doncic and strengthen with a center, secure an heir for a decade. A standout name to enhance their glamour, as they have always boasted. Another addition to an endless list: from Jerry West to Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Anthony Davis.