Oh me, oh my – can you believe what just happened?! For the unaware, Shams Charania just reported the following trade:
- Lakers receive: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
- Mavericks receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st
- Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd
A completely shocking trade with zero run-up. How much real-life sense it makes is up for debate but the fact that people originally assumed Shams had been hacked, isn’t probably a great indication of how the Mavs did. Interestingly, in a redraft fantasy basketball league, the trade makes total sense – both are top 10 players, Luka is currently injured but Davis is a general injury concern.
With the trade deadline still a week away, we should expect more trades, particularly by the Lakers as they have an Anthony Davis-sized hole to fill on the court. So, obviously, many of the roles on both teams can still change. Though, I do think that the Mavs look set with a well-balanced squad.
Luka Doncic – Anthony Davis Trade Reaction
Winner: Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks, PG/SG)
The trade solidifies Irving as the #1 guard on the Mavericks. He’s been brilliant (in reality and fantasy) with Doncic out this season and now that will, obviously, continue. Adding Anthony Davis as Irving’s pick-and-roll partner might just create the most potent duo in the league.
Loser: Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers, PG/SG/SF)
Reaves had a pretty good run as the secondary playmaker next to LeBron but has now been replaced by someone much better. On the upside, Luka is still injured for a couple of more weeks so there is still time to get some production out of him. There is also a chance of a trade since, again, with LeBron and Luka, Reaves is expendable.
Winner: The Next Center of the Lakers (Los Angeles Lakers, C)
Whoever ends up getting the starting spot, will likely have a lot of opportunities to produce at a reasonable level for fantasy. Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris will, obviously, be non-factors as will everyone else currently on the Lakers. This can only be a player from an upcoming trade, perhaps for Austin Reaves.
Loser: PJ Washington (Dallas Mavericks, PF)
Anthony Davis will likely start next to either Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively II as the new Mavericks’ power forward. Doing a Sherlock Holmes-style deduction, that means the current power forward, PJ Washington, will move to the bench. Washington averages 33 minutes per game for the season and is a serviceable fantasy option. I think that’s over with for now. Davis has spoken of wanting to play as a PF for years now and he likely will on the Mavericks. Though, it is possible to use him at center at times too so Gafford and Lively might take a small step backward too.
Winner: Naji Marshall (Dallas Mavericks, SG/SF/PF)
Marshall has been out with injuries and illness a lot this year but I still believe. Luka has been out a lot too so it’s not like there will be more minutes available in the rotation compared to the last month. But Marshall is just returning to basketball and should be firing on all cylinders post-All-Star break. He’s an excellent shooter, can playmake just enough, and defenders well. Klay Thompson has been playing very well recently but is limited compared to Marshall.
Loser: Nico Harrison (Dallas Mavericks, GM)
Not completely relevant to fantasy basketball unless you play a really weird custom format with general managers in it but – what the heck was that trade, Nico?! There are plenty of teams with piles of first-round picks who would love a Luka Doncic on their roster. If they really wanted to get Anthony Davis to contend now, fair enough, but they didn’t even try to fleece the Lakers. They left a first-round pick on the table, as well as pick swaps and, perhaps even someone like Austin Reaves.
Anyway, weird trade. There has to be more to it than we know.
2025 Fantrax Fantasy Sports
