Why did Luka Dončić get traded? Rating the top 5 theories based on believability

[ad_1]

I told myself I’d give it 100 hours.

It’s been about that much time since the Dallas Mavericks traded their 25-year-old superstar, Luka Dončić, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, to the rival Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2019 first-round pick. I figured 100 hours would be enough time for some bombshell to come out about Dončić and justify the trade.

Did he secretly demand a trade? Get into a brawl behind the scenes? Relieve himself on the Dallas Cowboys star at the 50-yard line?

Turns out, we’ve learned nothing of the sort. The press conference with GM Nico Harrison alongside a visibly uncomfortable Jason Kidd provided little to no answers.

It’s still just as baffling as it was on Saturday night. While the idea of LeBron finally playing with Luka may not be a total jaw-dropper, the timing and the package sure are shocking.

As the NBA universe scratches its collective head, let’s rate the plausible theories as to why Harrison and the franchise decided to trade a 25-year-old superstar months after leading the team to its first Finals in over a decade.

Theory No. 1: Luka Dončić was an injury risk

Believability: 1 out of 5 stars

Remember when Michael Finley yanked a beer out of Luka Dončić’s hands outside the locker room after winning the Western Conference finals? We laughed at it then, but for Mavs fans, it’s not so funny now.

Dončić’s habits may have been worse than folks let on, but the facts are the facts. Dončić played 70 incredible games last season and then another 22 even more incredible games in the postseason while averaging 40.9 minutes per game to lead the Mavs to the NBA Finals. Literally no one played more minutes in last year’s postseason than Dončić. He led all players in postseason points, rebounds and assists, becoming just the second player in NBA history to do such a preposterous thing.

The guy is a gamer. Yes, the recurring calf strain qualifies as a concern, but it doesn’t rise to the level of “trade the 25-year-old perennial MVP candidate” especially when you trade him for ANTHONY DAVIS.

You know who has suffered a more…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-did-luka-doncic-get-traded-rating-the-top-5-theories-based-on-believability-005027413.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-02-06 00:50:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.