05-19-2026, 07:06 AM
This is not a justification of the trade, but that OKC freight train was coming. Much different team from two years ago. Obviously SA was able to capitalize on lottery luck and good graces and they are a freight train. Mavs with Luka may be sitting in the same place as Jokic and Denver. Denver just got an easier path to a championship while Dallas got stuck with a great Boston team. Both may have been looking at an impossible path now. Not saying I wouldn't want to figure it out, but I do think it is a little misleading Dallas with Luka would have been at this level...despite being the last team to beat OKC. That team is much different now.

