As the 2024-25 regular season ends, a painful truth continues to haunt Dallas Mavericks fans: trading Luka Doncic may go down as the worst mistake in franchise history. What makes it even more egregious is that new data only confirms just how dominant the Mavericks were with Luka on the floor.
According to advanced lineup metrics, a starting five of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively ranked third in the NBA among lineups with over 200 possessions played. That group posted a staggering +25.6 point differential per 100 possessions—trailing only the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies‘ best units.
This wasn’t just an elite lineup—it was a championship-level core. The Mavericks had found the perfect balance between playmaking, perimeter shooting, defensive presence, and spacing. Luka’s synergy with Kyrie and the pick-and-roll connection with Lively made them a nightmare for opposing teams. And yet, despite that evidence, Nico Harrison decided to blow it all up midseason.
In a move that has aged like milk, Harrison sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what was billed as a “win-now” gamble. The Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick—falling well short of the Lakers’ full trade arsenal.
Crucially, they failed to acquire Austin Reaves, who has flourished alongside Luka and LeBron in L.A. The Lakers offered the framework, but the Mavericks settled for less. It wasn’t just a misstep; it was an organizational failure.
The aftermath was brutal. Within weeks, both Davis and Kyrie Irving missed games with injuries. The Mavericks’ chemistry fell apart. What was once a top-three team in net rating spiraled into mediocrity, limping to the finish line with a 39-43 record, good for just 10th in the West.
The Luka-led Lakers, meanwhile, soared to a 50-32 record and a third-place finish in the conference. The pairing of LeBron and Luka proved to be every bit as dominant as anticipated, with Luka averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists on 43.8% shooting from the field and 37.9% from deep.
The most heartbreaking moment came when Luka returned to Dallas for the first time as a Laker. He torched the Mavericks with a 45-point performance, and rather than jeer, Mavs fans gave him a standing ovation after every bucket. The crowd even broke into chants of “Fire Nico,” underscoring the growing frustration among the fanbase.
From a business perspective, the damage may be even worse. The Mavericks are projected to lose millions in future revenue due to declining ticket sales, merchandise, and national TV relevance. The arena no longer buzzes with the same energy, and the team is back to searching for an identity it already had—with Luka.
What could’ve been a title-contending year became a cautionary tale. Nico Harrison’s gamble wasn’t just short-sighted—it dismantled one of the NBA’s best lineups and mortgaged the future. The numbers don’t lie. Luka Doncic should still be a Maverick.
