The Dallas Mavericks are still paying the price for two franchise-altering decisions involving Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic. And honestly, both moves continue looking worse with time.
When Brunson left Dallas in 2022, the Mavericks got absolutely nothing in return. No picks or assets. Then, in 2025, they shocked the NBA world again by trading Luka Doncic after he had already led the franchise to the 2024 NBA Finals.
In return for Doncic, Dallas initially received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 unprotected first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. That return already looked questionable at the time. Now it looks even worse.
The Mavericks later traded Davis to the Washington Wizards and received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, two future first-round picks, and three second-round picks.
But even that package has already lost value quickly. Middleton and Bagley are free agents, and Jones was waived. AJ Johnson remains the only young player still under team control on a rookie deal.
Meanwhile, Brunson and Doncic have continued proving why losing both stars could haunt Dallas for the next decade. Brunson was already showing major signs of growth during Dallas’ 2022 Western Conference Finals run alongside Doncic. The Mavericks had multiple chances to extend him before his breakout.
They declined.
Dallas famously passed on offering Brunson a four-year, $55.5 million extension during the 2021-22 season. By the time they finally tried reopening negotiations later in the year, Brunson and his representatives believed he had already outplayed the offer. Then he exploded in the playoffs.
Brunson eventually signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the New York Knicks during the 2022 offseason. Since then, he has developed into arguably a top-10 player in basketball and has completely transformed New York.
In just three seasons, Brunson has taken the Knicks to the second round, then the Eastern Conference Finals, and now the NBA Finals. Even crazier, Brunson later took another massive discount to help New York continue building a contender.
He signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension despite being eligible to eventually pursue a five-year, $269 million max contract. Reports estimated he sacrificed roughly $113 million in possible earnings by committing early. That decision helped cement New York’s long-term flexibility while proving how committed Brunson is to winning.
Then there is Luka.
Doncic carried Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals and looked positioned to become the face of the franchise for the next decade. Instead, the Mavericks made one of the most shocking superstar trades in NBA history. And the return simply has not justified losing a generational talent.
Davis played only 29 games for Dallas across roughly a season and a half before getting moved again. Christie remains a developmental piece, and the 2029 Lakers pick is still years away from conveying. Meanwhile, Luka continues thriving as one of the best players in basketball.
The brutal reality for Dallas is simple.
They lost Brunson for nothing. Then they traded Luka for a package that already looks shaky, less than two years later.
Those two decisions may end up defining the franchise for years to come.
