One year ago today, the NBA collectively lost its mind.
At 12:12 AM ET on February 2, the news dropped that Luka Doncic had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick. When Shams Charania first reported it, many assumed his account had been hacked. A 25-year-old generational superstar, fresh off a Finals run, moved without requesting a trade? It sounded impossible.
Then the confirmation tweet hit. And the league went nuclear.
Social media exploded. Fans screamed. Executives privately texted disbelief. The first question was obvious: why would Dallas ever trade Luka? The second was even louder: if you are trading him, how is this the return?
A year later, the shock has worn off. The consequences have not.
Los Angeles Lakers
From the Lakers’ perspective, the trade was about the next decade, not the next season.
With Davis, the franchise always felt like it was balancing greatness with fragility. He was dominant when healthy, but at 31, injury-prone, and never quite comfortable as the unquestioned face of the post-LeBron era. Luka changed that overnight.
In Luka Doncic’s first partial season in Los Angeles, the Lakers finished 50–32 and secured the third seed in the West. Luka averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists while still working his way back from an injury that had sidelined him for nearly two months. The postseason exposed roster flaws against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the bigger picture was clear: the Lakers had their future.
Now, one full season in, that clarity is even stronger. Luka is averaging 33.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, firmly in the MVP conversation. The Lakers sit comfortably in sixth place, with a 29-18 record despite roster limitations and minimal moves. More importantly, they are positioned for a major reset in the 2026 offseason, with cap space opening and Luka locked in as the franchise cornerstone.
This was never just about winning immediately. It was about relevance, identity, and security after LeBron James. On that front, the Lakers couldn’t have executed it better.
Grade: A
Dallas Mavericks
Dallas pushed for this trade. General manager Nico Harrison owned it publicly. The justification was simple and polarizing: defense wins championships.
The reaction was brutal. Fans chanted ‘Fire Nico’ inside the arena. National analysts tore apart the logic. And then the worst-case scenario began unfolding immediately.
Anthony Davis was excellent in the first half of his Mavericks debut. Then he got hurt. In his first season with Dallas, Davis played just nine games. The Mavericks were ravaged by injuries across the roster and stumbled to a 39–43 record, finishing 10th and losing in the Play-In Tournament. The ‘win now’ argument collapsed almost instantly.
Then, somehow, the lottery saved them. Despite slim odds, Dallas landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft and selected Cooper Flagg. Overnight, the narrative softened. Harrison looked lucky, if not vindicated. But that luck didn’t last.
This season, injuries returned. Davis has appeared in just 20 games, averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, but missing time with relentless consistency. Dallas sits 11th in the West at 19–30. Harrison has already been fired. Davis is reportedly on the trade block. The Mavericks are now openly pivoting toward the Cooper Flagg era.
The irony is painful. The trade meant to stabilize the franchise instead detonated it, forcing a full rebuild one year later.
Grade: D+
(The plus exists solely because Cooper Flagg fell into their laps)
Luka Doncic
Luka never asked out. He wanted to be a Maverick for life, and the trade blindsided him.
His first months in Los Angeles were about adjustment, recovery, and scrutiny. Defensive effort and conditioning were openly questioned after the Lakers’ playoff loss. The subtext was loud: this is why Dallas moved him.
Luka responded the only way he knows how.
He reshaped his body and leaned into the franchise role. And he turned the criticism into fuel. Now, he looks like the most unstoppable offensive engine in basketball. His efficiency is up, his pace control sharper, and his confidence unmistakable. The Lakers aren’t just his new team. They’re his stage. Whatever doubts existed a year ago have evaporated.
Grade: A
Anthony Davis
Davis didn’t want to leave Los Angeles either. When healthy, he’s still a two-way force. But availability has defined his Dallas tenure far more than production.
Across two seasons, he has suffered 18 separate injury issues with the Mavericks. The flashes of dominance are there, but the continuity is not. In another universe, where health cooperated, this could have been a different outcome for Dallas. That universe never arrived.
Grade: C+
One Year Later
This wasn’t just a blockbuster. It was a franchise-altering earthquake.
The Lakers secured a generational superstar at a price that still feels light. The Mavericks lost their identity, burned through leadership, and ended up rebuilding anyway. Luka became the face of the league’s most iconic franchise. Davis became another ‘what if.’
A year later, the verdict is no longer emotional. It’s structural. This trade didn’t just change teams. It changed trajectories.
