Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[F Gump]

Well whatever merit the pro trade argument had just went out the window. This may be the least contentious issue in the history of Mavs talk. Didn’t take long to get a resolution. This is what you get trading for an older, injury prone player. It’s a risk even when you’re sending out a poopoo platter and picks. It’s lunacy when you’re sending out a young player on track to be top 3-5 all time on offense.

I noted early on, and it certainly remains true, that Nico negotiated based on the question marks that went with Luka, when he should have focused on (and made demands based on) the question marks of AD. He did Pelinka's work for him, by being on the same side of the table where both sides are weighing Luka's negatives, rather than taking a pro-Mavs-asset stance that will question the value of what the other side is offering.

Terrible negotiating. Even if AD becomes healthy, the 2031 and Knecht should have been readily available -and extracted - for a player like Luka, and it's the terrible return Nico was willing to take that is a major piece of why Mavs fandom is so upset. Everyone (except maybe stupid Nico) knows Pelinka would have paid that price, if Nico knew how to negotiate.

The deal was
AD-Christie-Knecht-picks (with the MINIMUM being 2029 and 2031)
Luka-Maxi

That doesn't get you below the tax line, but you mess with the payroll in a different deal. It doesn't leave you room for Grimes-Martin, but you can figure that out a different way, or do something else with Grimes. You have to get full value for Luka, with blinders on, and he stupidly did not.