Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[Dahlsim]

Perhaps today’s trade of Desmond Bane for a far more attractive package than the Mavs received for Luka will be the catalyst for a change in leadership.  The Luka trade was just absurd. Wait until we see a package for a star player. It’s ugly how badly the Mavs were fleeced.

I've said no doubt Nico's failure to shop Doncic's trade value and push to get the most back for Luka as possible led to the Mavs getting shorted on the deal.  In terms of pure value at the least another FRP and / or Austin Reaves should have been coming back in the deal.   I also think Nico knows that if it leaked at all that the Mavs were shopping Luka the public pressure would probably kill the deal. 

That said, too many comments comparing the Bane trade to Luka generally ignore that 
1) Orlando paid some of that draft capital as a price for dumping salary. 
2) There was no Anthony Davis level return in that trade, so the trade had to be rich in draft assets. 

• 10× NBA All-Star: 2014–2021, 2024, 2025 
  
• 2x Olympic Gold Medalist: 2012, 2024 
  
• All-NBA Teams: 5 selections (4× First Team) 
  
• NBA All-Defensive Teams: 5 selections (3× First Team)
  
• NBA Champion: 2020  NBA Cup Champion: 2023 
  

The difference is age is really what should have given Dallas more value, its the fact Luka has so much prime left at 26.   Luka was worth more but the fact remains Dallas did get back a 31 year old NBA All Star sure-fire hall of fame player, not Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony.