The real culprit of Luka Doncic trade had a terrible reason for dealing him

The Dallas Mavericks traded a 25-year-old superstar in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in the dead of night. The return? A prime Anthony Davis, searching for another ring. However, few would argue that addition, along with whatever spare parts Dallas scrounged together in said deal, was worth getting rid of Doncic unless there was an issue simmering below the surface.

Doncic would have been eligible for a league-record $345 million extension next summer had he remained in Dallas. After his trade to the Lakers, that's off the table. At his best, Doncic is one of the most exciting and creative offensive players in the game. What he gives up on the defensive end of the floor he more than makes up for with the ball in his hands, let alone intangibles that cannot be measured.

Were the Mavericks being cheap by trading Luka Doncic?

Trading such an asset in his prime is unheard of, especially in the modern NBA and in a market like Dallas. It's not like the Mavericks could not afford to keep Doncic around. Someone in the room must've done a hell of a lot of convincing to make otherwise smart basketball people ditch their morals.

Davis is 31 years old, and he will be paired with Irving, who is also on the back nine of his own career. The Lakers could not have said yes fast enough, as Doncic should lead Los Angeles well past the twilight of LeBron's career, and should be at the center of the next great LA team, whether that be this season or a few down the road.

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Why Mavericks fans can't blame Mark Cuban for the Luka Doncic trade

Mavericks fans want someone to blame, and rightly so. While many have pointed the finger at Mark Cuban, it's not that simple anymore. Cuban is just a minority owner these days, as he sold just over 72 percent of his ownership share to Patrick Dumont and casino magnate Miriam Adelson.

Cuban once said he's rather divorce his wife than trade Doncic, and he meant it. That is why he wasn't at the center of these trade talks. Unfortunately for Cuban, there's little he could've done to stop it. Rather, this was general manager Nico Harrison's call, and if it backfires, he'll be out of a job shortly.

When asked why he would trade Doncic for an aging asset and a first-round pick, Harrison's explanation was simple, per Tim McMahon: Defense wins championships.

While Davis is undoubtedly a better defensive player than Doncic ever will be, the Mavs mortgaged their future to shut their window. Davis is 31 and Irving is 33 – they have 2-to-3 years left at best with this core playing to the best of its ability. With Doncic, the Mavs were guaranteed another decade of relevance and competitive play.

Luka just took Dallas to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season. Evidently that wasn't good enough for Harrison.