On Saturday, February 5th, the Dallas Mavericks traded 25-year-old, five-time All-Star, 2019 Rookie of the Year, and 5 time All-NBA team player Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 31-year-old, 9 time NBA All-Star, 2-time Olympic gold medalist, and NBA champion, Anthony Davis.
This Trade left the media in disbelief and has been regarded as one of the most unexpected and significant in NBA history. Dončić has been a cornerstone of the Dallas Mavericks ever since he was drafted in 2018, and the city loved him; this trade blindsided fans, and it happened for seemingly no reason.
I asked senior Micheal Plunkett what he thought about the trade.
“It was so shocking, I think I’ll always be able to tell people where I was when I heard about it; it just made no sense; why would the Mavs (Dallas Mavericks) trade a young superstar for an Anthony Davis past his prime,” Plunkett said.
One massively controversial trade was just one of many; the following were not nearly as monumental.
Another trade that caught the eye of many was between the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors. The Miami Heat traded away 6 time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler and two second-round picks and received Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a 2025 first-round pick from the Warriors.
This trade is not nearly as controversial as the Dončić trade, but it still has significant implications for the Warriors lineup.
“It’s crazy to see Jimmy leave the Heat, but with the recent problems he’s been having with their management, I am not surprised; Curry and Jimmy are going to be a lethal duo on the Warriors,” said Nathan Levendel, senior.
One more blockbuster trade happened just a day after the Dončić trade, and our hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, was involved.
This was a three-team trade between the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls traded the once-beloved Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings after spending eight years in Chicago. The Bulls received Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Kevin Huerter; however, none of these are very notable players.
The San Antonio Spurs are the clear winner of this three-team deal. The Spurs acquired one of the best young Point Guards in the league, De’Aaron Fox in exchange for four first-round picks, a second-round pick, and three players (Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Sidy Cissoko).
That price seemed worth it to senior Joao Lourenco.
“Swipa (De’Aaron Fox) is a great point guard and will definitely push the Spurs into playoff contention. The Spurs got a star young point guard without giving up any of their solid young pieces, such as Devin Vasell or Stephon Castle, which allows them to continue to grow around Wemby (Victor Wembenyana) in the future,” Lourenco said.
The Spurs now have a solid starting lineup to help them develop around their star prospect, 2023 first-overall pick Victor Wembenyana, a 7 ‘4 center from France.
This NBA Trade Deadline has been chaotic nonetheless. If you want to learn more about these trades, you can check out this link.
