Mavericks' blockbuster Luka Doncic-Lakers trade named worst of last five years originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Mavericks made headlines for all the wrong reasons on Feb. 2, 2025.
Hours before the franchise's upcoming regular-season clash vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Mavericks left fans speechless by trading six-time All-Star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in a jaw-dropping midseason deal (the full transaction sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles for Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick).
While one could attempt to argue that the massive trade wasn't the gut punch many believe it was, given it helped them land generational forward Cooper Flagg, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes is a firm believer that the deal was the worst the NBA has seen in the last five years.
"The first rule of having Luka Doncic on your team is that you should not trade Luka Doncic unless Luka Doncic specifically asks you to trade him," Hughes wrote Sunday. "The second rule is that if you have Luka Doncic on your team and Luka Doncic specifically asks you to trade him, you shop around so you get the best possible deal."

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