The Dallas Mavericks and Nico Harrison took a firestorm of criticism from the public when they traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. There were a number of fans who felt that the move was short-sighted, as the Mavericks went to the NBA Finals with Dončić the previous year.
Regardless, the trade to the Lakers has seemingly worked well enough for Dončić, as they did make the playoffs as the third seed. On the other end, the Dallas Mavericks lost in the play-in, but they faced several complications this season.
The injuries to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving took a toll on their playoff hopes, but there’s always a chance the Mavericks bounce back next year. If Irving returns fully healthy alongside a competitive Davis, the Mavericks will be a tough team to defeat.
The absence of Dončić was felt for the Mavericks in the second half of the season, but the Lakers are currently not in great shape either. Down 3-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, the Lakers are now facing elimination. With that, some analysts are looking at the Dončić trade differently.
Kendrick Perkins Thinks Anthony Edwards Is Better Than Luka Dončić
Nico Harrison rightfully took some heat for trading away Luka Dončić, but some felt that his decision was justified. At least that’s what they’re saying now. Kendrick Perkins joined First Take to give his thoughts on Dončić after the Lakers lost to the Wolves 116-113. He believes Anthony Edwards is better than Dončić, which justifies Harrison trading him away.
Kendrick Perkins says he sees Nico Harrison’s vision
"Anthony Edwards is going to win a championship before Luka Doncic. Anthony Edwards is built different. [Ant] is a better all-around basketball player than Luka Doncic."
(h/t @ClutchPoints )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 28, 2025
“I saw what Nico Harrison was talking about. When it comes down to reason why he traded Luka. He traded Luka because he felt that the Dallas Mavericks were not going to be able to win a championship with Luka, we all know that.”
“I didn’t feel that way watching the game with Anthony Edwards. Anthony Edwards is going to win a championship before Luka Doncic. Anthony Edwards is built different. Ant is a better all-around basketball player than Luka Doncic.”
Whether you feel Edwards is better than Dončić or not, the Timberwolves being up 3-1 proves that star power sometimes does not override depth and chemistry. The Wolves found some strong team chemistry before the playoffs, and it seems to be paying off.
Can The Wolves Eliminate The Lakers?
With Game 5 impending, the Wolves have the opportunity to do what many people thought impossible once upon a time: eliminate LeBron James in the first round for the third time in his career.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, James and the Lakers have lost twice in the first round, as well as missing the playoffs twice. For Edwards, eliminating James continues his streak of defeating legendary players in the playoffs, as he defeated both Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic on the way to his first Conference Finals appearance.
For Edwards, perhaps the sweet revenge of eliminating Dončić on a new team is a part of why he’s played so aggressively. Edwards is averaging 29.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists during this series, as his 43-point night helped the Wolves take this resounding 3-1 lead.
It feels like no matter what the Lakers do in this series, the Wolves know how to counter it. Can the Wolves finish the job in Game 5, or will the Lakers stay alive and push the series ahead? Time will tell.