It has been almost exactly one year since the Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA by trading star guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The trade has been analyzed repeatedly since then, and the Mavericks have faced heavy criticism for making the move. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd recently reflected on the decision and said he believes it allowed Dončić to grow.
Jason Kidd Reflects on Luka Dončić Trade
Last February, the Mavericks sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for star forward Anthony Davis, Max Christi,e and one first-round pick. The Utah Jazz were also involved, receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino and a couple of second-round picks in exchange for sending money to both teams.
The trade was almost instantly viewed as one of the worst deals in NBA history. Players such as Mikal Bridges and Desmond Bane, who are not at Dončić’s level, went for several first-round picks in their respective trades
Ahead of the first anniversary of the trade, Kidd reflected on what’s happened since then.
“We would all love to be with one team and Dirk (Nowitzki) is the blueprint,” Kidd said. “The business of basketball happens, and sometimes things change, and you have to pivot. But that doesn’t mean that your career needs to stop. You need to push, keep getting better, learn, add to your game — I think that’s what it did for him.”
Jason Kidd speaks on how he’s seen Luka Doncic unlock a new part of his game and himself as a player since the emotional trade to the Lakers.
“We would all love to be with one team and Dirk is the blueprint. The business of basketball happens and sometimes things change and you… pic.twitter.com/KmeR2DAoBf
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As Kidd mentioned, the hope was that Dončić would be a Mavericks lifer like Nowitzki. However, things change, and both sides are trying to make the best of the situation.
Dončić hasn’t stopped playing at an elite level. This season, Dončić is averaging 33.4 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game in 35 contests. The star is shooting 46.5% from the field and 33.3% from deep.
Kidd also said both sides have moved on.
“I think it’s one year, and next year will be two years, and next after that it will be three, and we’ll just keep counting. Luka’s moved on, and we’ve moved on,” the coach said.
Luckily for the Mavericks, they didn’t have to wait very long to find their next star. The team won the draft lottery ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft and selected Duke forward Cooper Flagg.
With Flagg as the team’s new star player, the Mavericks are currently undergoing a rebuilding year. The team is 19-26 and in third place in the Southwest Division. Flagg is averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists as a rookie.
Dončić and the Lakers, meanwhile, are 26-17 and in first place in the Pacific Division.
