Colin Cowherd Podcast - Lakers-Mavericks Trade Reaction: Luka Doncic & Anthony Davis, "Dallas won trade"

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Episode: Colin Cowherd Podcast - Lakers-Mavericks Trade Reaction: Luka Doncic & Anthony Davis, "Dallas won trade" Release Date: February 2, 2025

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Overview

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the host delves deep into the recent blockbuster trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, focusing on the implications of trading Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. The discussion analyzes the motivations behind the trade, its impact on both franchises, and the broader ramifications for the NBA landscape.

Trade Analysis and Historical Context

The episode opens with the Sports Analyst reflecting on the historical significance of the trade, comparing it to the Paul Gasol deal from Memphis to the Lakers. The Analyst reminisces, “I do remember where I was when Paul Gasol was traded from Memphis to the Lakers” ([03:21]). This comparison sets the stage for understanding the magnitude of the Lakers-Mavericks trade.

Motivations Behind the Trade

A critical part of the discussion revolves around why the Mavericks initiated the trade. The Analyst suggests that Dallas, under the new ownership of Miriam Adelson, aims to adopt a different strategic vision. “Dallas initiated the call because they wanted to move on... One first round pick, Anthony Davis. I mean, that's the guts of the deal” ([03:21]).

The Analyst posits that the Mavericks are looking to rebuild around Luka Doncic, whose recent injuries and conditioning issues have raised concerns. “Luka... hasn't played since Christmas and been out of the last two training camps, conditioning concerns” ([03:21]).

Impact on the Lakers

The trade significantly affects the Lakers, leaving them with Anthony Davis and a first-round pick. The Analyst expresses doubt about the Lakers' short-term competitiveness: “Short term, the Lakers don't [compete]. They'll be one of the worst defensive teams in the league” ([03:21]). The discussion highlights the challenges the Lakers face in maintaining a competitive roster without significant additions.

Dallas Mavericks' Strategic Advantage

Conversely, the Mavericks emerge as the beneficiaries of the trade. “Short term, Dallas won the deal. Dallas can compete now, to me, for an NBA championship” ([03:21]). The Analyst emphasizes Dallas's improved roster strength, noting their enhanced defense and overall competitiveness: “Dallas is going to be a really, really good basketball team with the size to match up with anybody, the experience to match up with anybody, the toughness” ([03:21]).

Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic: Future Prospects

A substantial portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing the future prospects of Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. The Analyst debates whether Davis is nearing the end of his prime and how Doncic's role will evolve: “If you told me right now AD gave you two more totally healthy years... I think Dallas can compete for a championship for the next two years” ([03:21]).

Regarding Luka Doncic, the Analyst acknowledges his talent but raises concerns about his defensive engagement and consistency: “Luka is very poor defensively, you know, not really engaged like you prefer on the defensive end” ([03:21]). The potential synergy between Doncic and LeBron James is also discussed, speculating on how their combined efforts could influence the Lakers' performance: “He has to give you 70, 72 games a year... I think LeBron can have that same effect on Luka” ([03:21]).

Ownership and Management Decisions

The role of ownership in the trade is scrutinized, particularly focusing on Mark Cuban's decisions and the Adelson family's influence. The Analyst speculates on Mark Cuban’s motivations, suggesting strategic moves for real estate or estate planning: “Maybe Mark, the smartest people I've ever known or met tend to sell early, before late” ([03:21]).

Long-Term Implications for the NBA

The discussion broadens to consider the long-term implications of the trade on the NBA. The Analyst reflects on the importance of player health and management strategies, drawing parallels to other sports trades and their outcomes: “Load management's becoming something... It's the only way I can fathom you'd make this deal” ([03:21]).

Conclusion: Who Won the Trade?

Ultimately, the Analyst declares that Dallas is the short-term winner of the trade due to their enhanced roster and immediate competitiveness. For the Lakers, the future remains uncertain, hinging on Anthony Davis’s health and potential roster adjustments: “Short term, Dallas has a roster that can compete with anybody. Short term, the Lakers don't” ([03:21]).

Notable Quotes

• “Short term, Dallas won the deal. Dallas can compete now, to me, for an NBA championship.” ([03:21])
• “Luka... hasn't played since Christmas and been out of the last two training camps, conditioning concerns.” ([03:21])
• “If you told me right now AD gave you two more totally healthy years... I think Dallas can compete for a championship for the next two years.” ([03:21])

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the Lakers-Mavericks trade, offering listeners insightful perspectives on the immediate and future impacts on both teams. The Sports Analyst's in-depth examination highlights the complexities of team management, player health, and strategic decision-making in professional basketball.

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For those interested in the dynamics of NBA trades and their implications, this episode offers a detailed and thought-provoking exploration of one of the season's most significant moves.

Transcript

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[Sports Analyst]

So obviously the trade is historically significant. I do remember where I was when Paul Gasol was traded from Memphis to the Lakers. A window seat flying to Mexico on a plane and thinking, this almost doesn't sound real. How do you get Paul Gasol for what the Lakers surrendered? This has even greater significance. But I was trying to make sense of it this morning. Obviously Dallas initiated the call because they wanted to move on. Or it feels like if the Lakers initiated it, Dallas would have gotten more right. One first round pick, Anthony Davis. I mean, that's. That's the guts of the deal. So why would Dallas do it? Well, the Adelson family. Miriam Adelson is the new owner. They may see the world differently. You have an MBA with stars, load management. You know, like the guy that shows up every night is LeBron James, right? That's old school. I mean, LeBron's dropping one of his better games of the year at Madison Square Garden. How old is he? 40 almost. LeBron feels very old school and a lot of current stars. What you look for am I going to get 70, 72 games a year. And you look at Luca, who missed all of training camp this year. I think most of it last year hasn't played since Christmas. And the new owners are staring down the barrel of a $350 million max extension, which is minimum four years. And they're looking at it thinking, I don't know how much NBA knowledge the Adelsons have, but the people in the building are looking around and thinking, I remember three years ago and this was said regularly. You know, embiid is Going to be championships. He's the next Shaq. He's the Shaq comp. And there were some injuries, but nothing to worry about. And he was kind of gifted at MVP when Jokic. Probably deserved his third straight. And Embiid now won't play back to backs. And so you look at Luka Dontage, I wouldn't have made the trade, but if you give me three firsts and Anthony Davis and another player, it makes more sense to me. He's playing about 65 games a year. Is that ever going to become more. That's what I'm getting now. And he's young, he's in his prime, hasn't played since Christmas, been out of the last two training camps, conditioning concerns. And the Lakers are like, you know, last two years, Anthony Davis, arguably best defender in the league. You put in with P.J. washington, Kyrie Irving. You know, you start looking around at that team and you're like, for the short term, Dallas won the deal. Dallas can compete now, to me, for an NBA championship. I mean, that's. I mean, there are 500 team now. You get 80% of Luca's offense when he's playing, but you get much better defense, a rim protector, and a great score. So short term, you know, Dallas has a roster that can compete with anybody. Short term, the Lakers don't. They'll be one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Now, they have got to go get a big, and they won't get a great one. So, I mean, that's the only way I can fathom you'd make this deal. But clearly it feels like Dallas initiates the deal. Otherwise, you just get more in return. And again, you know, there is no NFL comp for this. I was thinking this morning, I was thinking about, like, let's say Joe Burrow, who's great, an offensive machine like Luca, has had some injuries, more than one. Never a conditioning issue, but had some injuries. And let's say you were staring down the barrel of a $350 million extension and you say to yourself, well, I can get a couple of. I can get two or three firsts, another great player. That is not a move I would make either. But I get why the calls are made on injuries. You know, these windows are short to get a great player in their prime, even for quarterbacks. I mean, Brady's the exception. I. I can see them looking at Luca and just saying, we have four years minimum. He's missing training camps. He doesn't come in great shape to begin with. He doesn't give you even 70 games in Western Conference finals a couple years ago, I think it was 2022. He missed three games in that. And so you try to rationalize it and they, they just got tired of it. Obviously, this is something that's been brewing inside the Mavericks for a long time. This, they didn't do this on a whim. It does feel with the trade deadline coming, there's a little panicky feel to it. But that's the only reason that makes sense. They just looked at injuries, conditioning, new owners. You know, load management's becoming something. I think a lot of owners, Mark Cuban sold a big percentage of this. They said it's for real estate. But I think, Mark, the smartest people I've ever known or met tend to sell early, before late. Maybe Cuban didn't like the feel. Maybe it was for estate planning. But in real estate, in terms of the Lakers, you have to make this move. Haven't we talked about this for years? Is that, you know, LeBron pretty much felt like he ran the franchise. Men are going to draft brawny. Everything kind of runs through Bronnie. And according to multiple sources this morning, Brian Windhorst, I trust Bronny did not know about the move. Dave McMenamin echoed that. LeBron James did not know about the move. Now, is that LeBron posturing? So Anthony Davis doesn't think he got rid of him. I don't know. I'm just going to trust NBA reporters who have boots on the ground. But it does feel like a clear shift to jj. Redick and Luka are the future of the franchise. I don't think the Lakers are going to be a great team this year. They're playing very well now. But playing well in the NBA in January and February just does not resonate later. A lot of teams play hard and play well now. It's a late April, May and June league. So I think when I look at this move, I look at the Lakers and I think long term, they got a star in his prime who's got like six more great years left, and that's what they need. I mean, it does feel like, you know, LeBron's sort of been pulling this franchise around and, you know, AD's like, we need another big. I don't want to play a five, I want to play a four. He's allowed to now do that more in Dallas. So it's a good fit for AD and it's a good short term fit. I mean, if, if you told me right now AD gave you Two more totally healthy years. I think Dallas can compete for a championship for the next two years. I think Luka LeBron and a mediocre rim protector doesn't feel like a championship team to me. Let me throw this out there though, because I think the Lakers ended up getting, you know, their future and I think AD is out of his prime. Maybe a little, but not far, far out of it. Is that Anthony Davis, when he came to la, you know, people used to joke he was a dad bod, his conditioning was okay, he wouldn't play through injuries. I mean, I, I remember talking to an NBA executive and Jerry west, the late Jerry west had voiced concerns about is he going to play through injuries. It's a long season. He's a big, It's a. It pounds on your body. There were concerns around like NBA from, you know, executives about his durability and his willingness to play banged up, which you have to in pro sports at some point. And boy, the last couple of years being around LeBron, the LA lifestyle is different. You know, I'm sorry, but it just is. You know, I always joke with my wife when I'm in Chicago or I'm out east, I eat differently. You know, LA lifestyle is a thing. You're in the Staples center. It's, it's glamorous. LeBron is, you know, uber dedicated. And it felt like LeBron had a real effect on 80s body conditioning, work ethic and dedication. Could LeBron have that with Luca? I think potentially, I think LeBron's an incredibly. He's the greatest basketball player many people believe ever. LeBron's level of dedication and ability to smartly not manipulate, but move things in his direction. He's a convincing player, manager slash coach. All those hats, he wears those. So you get the best of Luka for about a five to a six game, you know, or however long LeBron plays. I mean, you watch LeBron against the Knicks. LeBron's got more good years left. But it does feel like to me that JJ Redick and Luka are kind of the future going to keep LeBron. He'll probably stay around LA, his business is doing well in Los Angeles. But the fact that they didn't have to give up a second first round pick feels like a huge win for the Lakers. Not a win, but a huge win. And they get their superstar for the future. And it never felt like that with LeBron or AD's a great player. I don't think he, he doesn't feel necessarily like a Kobe or a Magic or a LeBron, he's more in the Kareem mode, where, you know, he's a big. He can be kind of stoic, nice guy, but, you know, Lakers stars have always felt big personalities, big aura, kind of iconic. That's LeBron. And Luca has a bit of that feel because he's such a prolific scorer. So it's strange. I think Dallas needed to get more. This was clearly something that had been in the works for a while and proving once again, if people don't want things out, it doesn't get out. I've. I've said this for years. Stories get out to. Somebody wants them out. When you see big moves, like historic moves, Tom Brady to Tampa, that didn't happen in the last hour, right. Like they. That thing had been discussed. It doesn't get out. It doesn't get out. This didn't get out. So, you know, who won the trade short term? I think Dallas is going to be a really, really good basketball team with the size to match up with anybody, the experience to match up with anybody, the toughness. AD is a tremendous player and has had a great two years. I thought he should have won the defensive player of the year last year. It's just a tremendous player who. I think it has to be noted LeBron has had a real effect on his conditioning, his intensity, his toughness, his consistency, no doubt. And I think LeBron can have that same effect on Luca. I think he can. I mean, those last two training camps, where's Luka? Hasn't played since December. Where's Luca? You know, and for years, I have said that I think Luka is a much better version of Carmelo Anthony. Conditioning's average. Kind of has a style that he's not going to bend for anybody. Don't know that he necessarily always elevates other teammates to their highest level. You know, he's just got his own game. He's like the sun and everything sort of rotates around it. And I always felt that was kind of mellow also. Mellow. And Luca, very poor defensively, you know, not really engaged like you prefer on the defensive end. But I think Lucas and both hall.

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[Sports Analyst]

But I. I think Lucas got a little bit of that in him, but I just think Lucas better. And I think Los Angeles can change people. It can change how Luca views his brand. It's just different. It's different than Dallas. It's different from big cities. It's different from Philly. It's different from Chicago, the lifestyle, the diet, being around LeBron the Laker image. I mean, Dallas is a football town. You can argue LA is an NBA and a baseball city, Dodgers, Lakers. So long term I like it for the Lakers. Short term I really like it for Dallas. Dallas is going to be a handful. They are going to be a handful. I mean, Kyrie backcourt ad front court allowed to play the four that he likes to. It wouldn't shock me at all if the Mavericks got to the Western conference finals and one, I mean, would it shock you? 80's giving you 28, dominating the rim. You know, Kyrie's on the outside, Klay Thompson occasionally from the angle and you look up and Dallas is in the finals. Wouldn't surprise me at all. I mean, OKC still feels kind of young. I mean, Denver no longer plays defense. I don't know what's happened to Denver's defense, but they don't play it much anymore. So short term Dallas is going to be really fun to watch. And I had Adam Silver on the NBA commissioner on my show. I don't know, is it three weeks ago, a month ago. And one of the things we talked about, as I said, is the NBA feels a little concerned about trades and about the possibility of it being uneven in the league. And my take is trades are great. I can't wait to watch Luca as a Laker. I can't wait to watch the Dallas Mavericks. I'm a huge believer in trades. I mean think about last night. I wake up this morning, went to bed pretty early last night. I wake up this morning and my phone's blown up. I got 15 text, I got people with the volume. Can you, can you come on and do 20, 30 minutes? Yes. They weren't doing that two days ago. So I think trades are great. It's just amazing. If you'd have told me a day ago, you can get Luca from the Mavericks for Anthony Davis and a first round pick.

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What?

[Sports Analyst]

Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves and three first round picks. I would have bought that. That feels like maybe Austin Reeves is too good a player. Anthony Davis. No, I think Anthony Davis, three first round picks and somebody else of note for the Lakers, although they don't have a lot of no players. Right? Dalton connect. Maybe three first rounders. Dalton connect Anthony Davis then. It feels interesting, but I mean we could be looking up at this thing in about three years going, the hell are the Mavericks? What do they do? But my guess is that Anthony Davis stays pretty healthy and committed and you're going to have a two year run here where Dallas can play with absolutely anybody I mean, what if the Mavericks get to the Finals? And what if the Lakers are so bad defensively they face Dallas in the first round and get washed out? That's what's so fun about this trade. There's so many potential finishes, there's so many potential results. It's just in year one, so I'm fired up for it.

[Bobby Bones]

The volume.

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[Bobby Bones]

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