NBA Rumors: There are two other superstars the Dallas Mavericks tried to trade Luka Doncic for before Anthony Davis.
It was quite surprising when the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis just before the NBA Trade Deadline. I'm not sure anyone could've predicted that. However, what's even more surprising is how it has become clear that the Mavs were almost desperately looking to trade Luka ahead of the deadline. While it may have seemed as if a deal quickly came together, the more details that emerge, the clearer it becomes that Dallas had this goal in mind.
According to longtime Bucks insider Gerry Woelfel, Dallas reportedly reached out to Milwaukee and Minnesota to gauge their interest in a possible Luka for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Edwards swap. In the end, both teams passed on the idea of such a blockbuster move with Dallas - and that ultimately led to the AD for Luka swap just before the trade deadline.
The Dallas Mavericks were desperate to trade Luka Doncic
Assuming these additional details are accurate, the Mavs knew exactly what they wanted to accomplish ahead of the trade deadline. While it still does not make a ton of sense in the long run, Dallas didn't want to put themselves in a position where they'd have to pay Luka a supermax contract and they did what was necessary.
If the Mavs truly believe that they can't be the team they want to be with Luka as their No. 1 option, it's hard to blame them for how they operated at the trade deadline. Whether that will prove to be right in the end remains to be seen, but the Mavs have certainly made their decision and it would be even worse if they didn't completely buy into it.
I'm sure there are even more parts of this story that haven't even been reported on just yet. Those will likely come over the next few weeks and months. At least for now, it's hard to imagine how the Mavs are going to win the public perception back. Trading Luka, no matter what happens in the future, is always going to be remembered as one of the biggest missteps in modern NBA history. It's almost impossible for the Mavs to win to an extent in which that won't be the case moving forward.