The Dallas Mavericks shook the NBA landscape when they traded away Luka Doncic, one of the most dominant young guards of his era. While the move raised eyebrows across the league, the team has no regrets. In a new quote from an anonymous Mavericks executive, the organization reaffirmed its belief in the current roster and acknowledged the difficult trade that helped reshape it.
“Whenever you trade a truly great player, it’s going to hurt,” said a Mavs executive to Keith Smith. “We love Anthony Davis, and we feel like we’re in a good position to have a great team moving forward. With better health this year, we’ll be near the top of the conference going into the playoffs. That’s the goal.”
The Mavericks faced intense backlash after dealing their franchise cornerstone. Injuries only made things worse, stalling any chance to quiet the noise with a playoff run. The fanbase was outraged, and injuries prevented the team from making a run to calm them down. Still, with Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg, Dallas is set up for long-term success.
“It pays to be lucky, right? Dallas got a generational talent when those lottery balls bounced their way,” said an Eastern Conference GM on Flagg. “That kid is unbelievable. You knew after he played like crap in the first game out here that he was going to be great the next time out. He’s an ass-kicker. Wish we had that kind of luck.”
Doncic is expected to shine in Los Angeles, but the Mavericks are convinced they made the right call. Besides stacking talent, they want to build a winning culture in Dallas, and that means finding the players who follow their approach to the game.
Doncic didn’t meet the Mavericks’ expectations, and rather than wait any longer, they pivoted to Anthony Davis. With averages of 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season, Davis is an elite big man who can set the tone for Dallas defensively.
Between his impact and the presence of teammates like Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving (when he returns), the Mavericks are poised to make a run that will validate the Luka trade and silence the critics once and for all.
While they will face steep competition, the Mavericks believe that they have enough depth, experience, and star power to challenge the best of the best in the NBA. Whether or not they’ll be near the top of the standings remains to be seen, with teams like the Rockets, Nuggets, and Thunder expected to fall within the top three, but it’s still too early to count them out completely.
In a Western Conference packed with elite duos and rising contenders, Dallas knows the margin for error is razor-thin. But with a brand new roster built for durability and defensive toughness, the Mavs believe they can contend without needing to rely on any one individual player.
They took a gamble—and while the scars remain, the franchise insists the best is yet to come.
