One of the biggest trades in NBA history went down this weekend between the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz, sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks.

Trade Details:

• Lakers acquire: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris 
• Mavericks acquire: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Lakers’ 2029 1st-round draft pick
• Jazz Aquire: Jalen Hood-Schifino, LA Clippers’ 2025 2nd-round draft pick, and Mavericks’ 2025 2nd-round draft pick

The Lakers acquire one of the NBA’s best young stars in Luka Doncic, who is only 25 years old. Doncic will be a consistent contributor on the court, currently averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game in the 22 games he has played this season. However, the main concern will be his defensive struggles, and the Lakers were already a poor defensive team before the trade. Losing their best defender in Anthony Davis only amplifies that issue. The defensive pairing with LeBron James will have some weaknesses, but the offensive firepower should compensate.

For the Lakers, this trade secures their next franchise player for the post-LeBron era (assuming they sign Doncic to a max deal ASAP) while only giving up one future first-round pick. The Lakers are expected to continue making moves before Thursday’s trade deadline, likely targeting multiple big men who are strong defenders and quality rebounders.

The Mavericks receive a future Hall of Famer in Anthony Davis and are in a strong position to compete for a title this season—assuming Davis stays healthy. However, they give up their franchise star entering his prime for a player in the back half of his career. Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 42 games this season and was recently selected to his 10th career All-Star Game.

At the moment, the trade appears fairly even—the Mavericks are in a better position to contend this season, while the Lakers secure their long-term franchise player. Ultimately, the winner of the trade will be determined by which team wins more titles, though the Mavericks have a shorter window to contend with Davis compared to the Lakers with Doncic.

BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025