Full Show: Financially, Luka was the BIG loser in trade. Remember, AD is an All-NBA player.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show: In-Depth Summary of "Financially, Luka was the BIG loser in trade. Remember, AD is an All-NBA player."

Release Date: February 4, 2025
Hosts: Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Introduction

[01:39]
Stephen A. Smith kicks off the episode by addressing the monumental NBA trade that has sent shockwaves through the sports community: Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. This unprecedented move marks the first instance in NBA history where two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other mid-season.

---

2. The Blockbuster Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis Trade

Details of the Trade

[03:31]
Stephen A. Smith outlines the specifics of the trade:

Stephen A. Smith: "The Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for fellow All-Star Anthony Davis. It's the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other mid-season."

[04:01]
Luka Doncic emphasizes the significance of the trade:

Luka Doncic: "This move does not sit well with his father, Sasa Doncic, who expressed his disappointment to Slovenian media, saying, 'I think that Luca absolutely doesn't deserve this.'"

Reactions and Implications

[05:19]
Stephen A. delves into the criticisms Luka has faced regarding his conditioning:

Stephen A. Smith: "You've heard stuff like Luka Doncic coming into camp 30 pounds overweight, looking sloppy..."

[08:54]
Discussion on the Mavericks' rationale:

Stephen A. Smith: "Anthony Davis is an All-NBA defensive player, averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds. However, trading Luka, who has been averaging 28 points per game throughout his career, raises eyebrows."

---

3. Guest Analysis: Brian Windhorst

Trade Motives

[16:02]
Brian Windhorst joins the conversation to provide expert analysis:

Brian Windhorst: "The Mavericks knew they would have to offer Luka a five-year, $350 million deal. Choosing not to meet that, they opted to trade him for Anthony Davis, believing Davis could help them win this season."

Mavericks’ Strategy

[21:29]
Windhorst explains the Mavericks' decision-making process:

Brian Windhorst: "They didn't want to open up the market and preferred a player who could contribute immediately. However, trading Luka doesn’t maximize the Mavericks' return given his stature."

[24:09]
Brian discusses the internal frustrations within the Mavericks:

Brian Windhorst: "The Mavericks were frustrated with Luka’s conditioning and behavior during critical moments, which influenced their decision to trade him."

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4. Additional NBA Trades and Implications

De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio & Zach Lavine to Sacramento

[35:22]
Stephen A. and Windhorst analyze another significant trade:

Brian Windhorst: "The Spurs acquired De'Aaron Fox without giving up core players, balancing their roster effectively. Conversely, the Kings traded Zach Lavine, which might affect their competitive edge."

Jimmy Butler’s Pursuit of the Phoenix Suns

[37:57]
Conversation turns to Jimmy Butler’s determined efforts to join the Phoenix Suns:

Brian Windhorst: "Jimmy Butler is hell-bent on forcing a trade to Phoenix. Despite Phoenix's challenges in acquiring him, Butler remains focused on making this move happen."

Bradley Beal’s Trade Stalemate

[39:54]
Discussion on Bradley Beal’s reluctance to waive his no-trade clause:

Brian Windhorst: "Bradley Beal is adamant about staying with the Wizards, making potential trades complicated despite widespread interest from other teams."

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5. Celebrity Guest: Ruby Rose and Prize Picks

Prize Picks Contest

[12:40]
Ruby Rose joins the show to talk about her victory in the Prize Picks contest:

Ruby Rose: "I won a million dollars by making my picks on Prize Picks during the big game. It was crazy!"

[13:54]
Explanation of the Prize Picks contest mechanics:

Ruby Rose: "Participants can win by posting their favorite lineups with the hashtag #supersway, making it easy to enter for a chance to win big."

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6. Mavs vs. Lakers: Future Prospects

Mavericks’ Perspective

[43:52]
Stephen A. and Windhorst discuss the trade from the Mavericks' standpoint:

Stephen A. Smith: "Anthony Davis joining Dallas enhances their offense and defense, making them a top contender in the West."

Brian Windhorst: "While the Mavericks have strengthened defensively, trading Luka feels like sacrificing their franchise's future potential for immediate gains."

Lakers’ Dynamics with LeBron James

[54:23]
Exploration of how LeBron James might adapt to sharing the court with Luka:

Stephen A. Smith: "LeBron has been the face of the Lakers, but now Luka's global appeal might shift that dynamic. Can they coexist effectively?"

Luka Doncic: "Great players figure out how to play with one another, but the real test lies in how they perform against other top teams."

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7. Conclusion and Next Steps

Looking Ahead

[60:15]
Final thoughts on the trade’s impact and the future of both franchises:

Stephen A. Smith: "The Mavericks must win now with Anthony Davis, or risk long-term repercussions. Meanwhile, the Lakers need to maximize Luka’s potential alongside LeBron to secure championships."

Super Bowl Preview

[41:15]
Stephen A. previews Super Bowl 59:

Stephen A. Smith: "We'll be covering the Super Bowl week from New Orleans, featuring the Eagles vs. the Chiefs, with special guests and in-depth analysis."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Stephen A. Smith on the Trade’s Unprecedented Nature
  [03:31]
  "It's the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other mid-season."

• Luka Doncic on His Father’s Reaction
  [04:16]
  "I think that Luca absolutely doesn't deserve this."

• Brian Windhorst on Mavericks’ Decision
  [16:28]
  "They didn’t believe in the five-year, $350 million deal, so they chose to trade Luka for Anthony Davis, believing Davis could help them win this season."

• Ruby Rose on Winning the Prize Picks Contest
  [13:10]
  "I was at the game, and my check hit—a million dollars. It was crazy."

• Brian Windhorst on Lakers’ Acquisition Strategy
  [23:54]
  "Rob Pelinka likely negotiated well, but the Mavericks didn't maximize their return for Luka."

• Stephen A. Smith on LeBron and Luka’s Potential Synergy
  [54:35]
  "LeBron and Luka are ball dominant. Can they coexist offensively without conflict? That’s the real question."

---

Key Takeaways

• Trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis: A historic and controversial move, raising questions about franchise strategy and player valuation.
• Mavericks’ Dilemma: Balancing short-term gains with long-term potential by trading their star player for an established All-NBA talent.
• Lakers’ New Dynamic: Integrating Luka into a team already anchored by LeBron James, with implications for team chemistry and future success.
• Other Significant Trades: De'Aaron Fox to Spurs, Zach Lavine to Kings, and the ongoing saga of Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal’s trade scenarios.
• Prize Picks Contest: Highlighting the intersection of sports and entertainment through celebrity engagement and fan participation.

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, detailing the critical discussions around the Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis trade, insights from NBA analyst Brian Windhorst, additional trade news, and the inclusion of a celebrity guest. Notable quotes are highlighted with timestamps to emphasize key moments, providing a clear and engaging overview for listeners who haven't tuned in.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oh Lord have mercy. Luca is a Laker. Luca is a Laker.

[Luka Doncic]

Luca is the face of the lakers now. Not LeBron James anymore. Stephen A. Smith show in the house. College boy.

[Brian Windhorst]

Laker fans, I'm in la.

[Luka Doncic]

Excited to meet you all.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What up everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you as I love to do over the digital areas of YouTube and of course iheartradio at the very least three times a week. Thanks again. As I always take a moment to.

[Luka Doncic]

Pause and say to my subscribers and followers, We've now eclipsed 1.07 million subscribers on YouTube.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We've had millions of downloads over the.

[Luka Doncic]

Last few months, courtesy of iheartradio. Kid, thank y'all for the love and support.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Enough.

[Luka Doncic]

Keep it coming and I'mma keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell to get notified for all of our new content and you too shall be the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And while you're doing that, make sure.

[Luka Doncic]

To pick up a copy of my.

[Stephen A. Smith]

New York Times best selling book, Straight.

[Luka Doncic]

Shooter A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Now in paperback. Just go to straight shooter book.com Once again, that's straight shooter book.com as you could see. You know Straight Shooter Media. You see, get get the correlation, my bestselling book title of my media company. There you Go. I got to get to this right now. You've been hearing me talk about a lot of politics and there's a lot of politics to get into, but not today. Not today. This is the beginning of the super bowl week. I ain't even getting into that today. Today is all basketball, ladies and gentlemen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Because the biggest trade maybe in history.

[Luka Doncic]

In NBA history took place Saturday night.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Luka Doncic, the superstar for the Dallas Mavericks, the league scoring champion last season.

[Luka Doncic]

Averaging 34 points a game.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A guy's not only averaging 28 points per game this year, but has averaged 28 points per game throughout his career. This dude From Slovenia, this 67 point guard, one of the greatest players we have seen in our lifetimes. This global iconic brand from Slovenia was.

[Luka Doncic]

Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in favor of Anthony Davis. To be specific, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers for fellow all star Anthony Davis. It's the first time in NBA history that two reigning all NBA players were traded for each other mid season. We'll get to the Dallas Mavericks and what this means for Anthony Davis in the franchise, but I want to start in Los Angeles where the Lakers have clearly placed their future in the hands of the 25 year old international superstar that is Luka Doncic.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The move did not sit well with his father, who spoke with Slovenian media Network Arena Sports Sport 1 on Sunday. And look at this quote from the father of Luka Doncic, Sasa Doncic.

[Luka Doncic]

Here's a portion of what he said to the outlet.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Quote.

[Luka Doncic]

I understand there comes a moment when you disagree with a certain philosophy. You don't like this or that player. All good, I get it. But I think the secrecy, or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy, this hurts me personally because I think that Luca absolutely doesn't deserve this. End quote. Let's understand something, ladies and gentlemen. It smells.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now I could have said that on.

[Luka Doncic]

National TV all morning, but we have to get the business of basketball out the way.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You would imagine that this should not have happened. You don't see a 25 year old superstar get traded even before he's reached his prime.

[Luka Doncic]

You just don't hear that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now, full disclosure, I've spoken to numerous.

[Luka Doncic]

Folks from both sides, the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, and you hear stuff like Luka Doncic coming in camp, 30 pounds overweight, looking fat looking, lazy looking, sloppy, that kind of thing. You've heard that before.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You think about Nico Harrison, the president of basketball operations and general manager for the Dallas Mavericks. This is a Dude that played at.

[Luka Doncic]

West Point, he's got a military background.

[Stephen A. Smith]

As a Nike executive for 19 years, he worked with Jordan and Kobe and.

[Luka Doncic]

LeBron and Jason Kidd and others.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He knows what champions are made of, and he knows what they've got to have inside of themselves in order to become champions. You ask anybody that worked with MJ or worked with Kobe, they tell you the same thing that Nico Harrison would probably tell you. Michael Jordan wins a championship. A week later, he's back in the gym. What's up? What we need to do to get better? No slippage.

[Luka Doncic]

Everybody's shooting for me.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Kobe Bryant wins championship. Same attitude. He lose a championship. He doesn't wait a week. He's in the gym the next day. Luca, who knows where he was, clearly wasn't taking care of himself and having himself in peak condition, which is something he openly admitted. But one would imagine, with all of that being said, why do you do this? Because this is where it gets interesting, ladies and gentlemen, and this is where there is no escaping this reality. You're going to have critics out there looking at this trade and they saying, I have somebody who's a Hollywood superstar.

[Luka Doncic]

But knows his basketball.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He presented this question, but he'll remain.

[Luka Doncic]

Nameless because they don't want people to know who they are.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But he asked this question.

[Luka Doncic]

He says, stephen, Nick. So let me get this straight. This brother averages 28 points per game for his career.

[Stephen A. Smith]

In the regular season, only two people.

[Luka Doncic]

Have averaged more points per game than he has in history.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. In the postseason, there's only one player that has averaged more points per game than Luka Doncic. That person would be Michael Jordan. And you're trying to tell me, Stephen A. That this dude who is a global iconic superstar, a brand in and of his own self, this same dude who was averaging 28 a game, who's been All NBA first team five times in the first seven years of his career. This same dude who happens to be white.

[Luka Doncic]

Gets traded and oh, Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Gets traded to the Lakers. Everybody and their mother gets. Wants to get traded to the Lakers. Southern California sunshine that weather the Laker brand, and the kind of way that can magnify and proliferate your brand and allow it to explode. Everybody wants to go there, and you're the Lakers and you get him. And all you had to give up was Anthony Davis, a couple of players and a pick. They bring up the fact that Mikel Bridges, in order for the Knicks to get him, they had to give up five first round picks. They give up the assets that had to be surrendered to get Karl Anthony Towns. They give up the assets that had to be surrendered to give up Rudy. To get Rudy Gobert. And their attitude is, but you got Luka Doncic for less to be a Laker. It's very suspicious. Stephen A. It's very suspicious.

[Luka Doncic]

I can't say they're lying. It is very suspicious. I would say, however, Anthony Davis is an all world player himself. He ain't box office like Luka. He ain't that global iconic brand like Luka. But he does average 25 and 12. He is one of the elite big men in the game of basketball. He does exponentially improve and increase their defensive prowess in Dallas. They are in better position to win a championship.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're a better team than the Los Angeles lakers. Even with LeBron and Luka Doncic as.

[Luka Doncic]

Presently constructed in Los Angeles right now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All of those points are valid, but.

[Luka Doncic]

It still raises an eyebrow and makes you say, how the hell did this happen? How the hell did this happen?

[Stephen A. Smith]

How does Luka Donchi, remember Chris Paul was supposed to be a Laker with Kobe Bryant years ago. Then commissioner David Stern nixed it because they hadn't consulted with folks. It just seemed too Laker friendly and Stern wasn't having it. That is not what Adam Silver, his successors, commissioner of the NBA did with this particular deal. And I'm not saying he should have done anything. I'm just saying that there are people out there right now that are suspicious as hell.

[Luka Doncic]

And yeah, he wasn't in the greatest of shape.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, he needed to take better care.

[Luka Doncic]

Of himself, conditioning wise.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, he has his own medical team.

[Luka Doncic]

And you know, whoever else he has.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Including his daddy and the level of control that they wanted to exercise, they weren't able to do that. And let's not forget the 5 year, 345 million he was due with the supermax coming up this year, this summer and how it's punitive and the Mavs with new ownership because I believe that this was Mark Cuban still owning the majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks. This doesn't happen. I don't believe Mark Cuban is moving Luka Doncic. Not the Mark Cuban I know, but the Adelson family now runs the Dallas Mavericks and they don't have to consult with Mark Cuban in order to make.

[Luka Doncic]

A deal like this.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And so because of that they chose to make this move because they think a little bit differently.

[Luka Doncic]

Mark Cuban, I don't know about Mark.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Cuban being a liberal and them being Trump supporters. People been Talking about that, I don't.

[Luka Doncic]

Know what political affiliation they have.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wouldn't surprise me. Being down there in Texas wouldn't surprise me. But who the hell knows? In the end, it is what it is.

[Luka Doncic]

Luka Doncic is in Los Angeles. Luka Doncic is now the face of the Lakers franchise. LeBron James has to take a back seat. I've been told he could care less. It doesn't matter to him. He wanted to take a backseat to Anthony Davis, so he damn sure ain't gonna mind taking a backseat to luka Doncic. He's LeBron James. He'll find a way to get his. One would assume that's true. But I gotta tell you, there's a lot of interesting twists that come with this. Not only will I get into it myself a little bit more on my own, I'm gonna also get into it with my man Bryan Windhorse. Because we got a lot of nuggets, a lot of information to give you about exactly what the hell is going on here. When it comes to LeBron, when it comes to clutch sports, when it comes to the Lakers, when it comes to Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks and their relationship with Luka Doncic.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Remember, Rob Pelinka makes the deal calls Anthony Davis first. After that he called Rich Paul. After that, he called LeBron James.

[Luka Doncic]

Nico Harrison still hasn't spoken. Luka Doncic. Jason Kidd said he couldn't catch him. Nobody from owners ownership in Dallas, from my understanding. Didn't they even try to speak to him? Maybe Mark Cuban did. Lot of interesting nuggets. What does this mean for the Lakers? What does this mean for the Mavericks? What does this mean for the NBA? All of that and more coming up. Not just with me, but my man Brian Winhors. He'll be on next to touch on all of this and then some. But not before I showed this to you right here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

My guest is a rapper and Internet personality with more than 5.2 million followers on social media. She's here to talk about a new prize pick, Super Sweat contest. Please welcome the incomparable Ruby Rose. Ruby, what's going on? How you doing? I see the glasses. I see the glasses. How you doing, girl?

[Ruby Rose]

I'm good. How are you?

[Luka Doncic]

I'm doing great.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It's good to see you. I hear congratulations on order because you won a million dollars by making your picks on prize picks for the big game last year. Talk about how that felt for you.

[Ruby Rose]

That was the craziest shit ever. Like, literally, I was at the game and we went into Overtime. And then my shit hit and then my check hit. And everybody said it was fake, but I really got wired. A million motherfucking dollars. It was crazy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

May I ask at least a little bit of what you do with the money? What you do with some of the money, Ruby? What you do with some of the money?

[Ruby Rose]

I invested it in my push up bra line. You know, I got this push up bra business that I got going on, and I got a little penthouse in Miami. So that's what the money went towards.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, well, that's not bad. That's not a bad. That's not a bad investment. I understand. I said, now let's get on because you're part of a new prospect super.

[Luka Doncic]

Sweat social media contest where a lucky person can win, like, a million dollars on a big game.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Please explain to the audience how exactly that works.

[Ruby Rose]

So pretty much, like, they have a chance at getting flown out to, like, a watch party in Texas and a chance to win a million dollars. All they have to do is put hashtag super sway and like, post, like, their favorite lineup from this past season. And it's like, literally that easy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen, I got to ask you this because doing this, I'm really interested in.

[Luka Doncic]

Knowing what you like most about the prize picks, app and fantasy sports. Because a lot of people want to hear from me.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They don't even want to hear from me.

[Luka Doncic]

They'd rather hear it from you because you Ruby Rose, you know, so they don't want to hear from Stephen A. They want to hear from you.

[Ruby Rose]

My favorite thing about the app is, like, that. It's just so easy. Like, I'm a girl, and I feel like not that many girls know about, like, sports. And, like, price fix makes it so easy on the app to just pick more or less on your favorite players. So it's like, it's just so easy, and, you know, it just gives you so much money. So it's like, why not?

[Luka Doncic]

It is. And. And. And you're winning. You're winning more than most.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, I hear you're a big sports fan all around. Do you like. Do you like basketball?

[Ruby Rose]

I do. I love me some basketball. I prefer basketball over football.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Who's your favorite team?

[Ruby Rose]

My favorite team is probably the Grizzlies.

[Brian Windhorst]

Why?

[Luka Doncic]

Why the Grizzlies? They're in Memphis, you're in Miami. Why the Grizzlies?

[Ruby Rose]

I don't know. They just have heart. They have a lot of heart. The players.

[Luka Doncic]

Right, right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, okay, I got that.

[Ruby Rose]

Who's your favorite team?

[Luka Doncic]

Well, I'm I'm a New York Knicks fan. I'm a native New Yorker, so I root for the Knicks all day, every day. Outside of that, I root for my social life in May and June. I don't want to be in a boring ass city, so I want to be in someplace like la, someplace like Miami, stuff like that, you know, I don't want to be that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what I'm saying.

[Luka Doncic]

That's why I said, I ain't mad at you at all. I ain't mad at you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ruby Rose, thank you so much. By the way. Make sure. I got to make sure everybody.

[Luka Doncic]

How can everybody know where to find you?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Where do they need to go to.

[Luka Doncic]

Find you on social media and beyond Instagram?

[Ruby Rose]

B, Rose, rub, I, R, O, S, C, y'all know where to find me. They know where to find me.

[Luka Doncic]

I got you. I appreciate it. Take care of yourself. Enjoy your day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right.

[Luka Doncic]

Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

As promised, joining me right now is senior NBA writer for espn. He's the host of the Brian Windhorse and the Hoop Collective podcast.

[Luka Doncic]

But more importantly, he's a friend, one.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Of the best in the business.

[Luka Doncic]

The one and only Brian Windhorse joins me right now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wendy, what's going on, man? Have you recovered from the shock you felt Saturday night when this news came.

[Luka Doncic]

Down that Luka Doncic was being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis?

[Brian Windhorst]

Nope. And I suspect, actually, I'll ask you, did you have any inkling this was coming at all?

[Luka Doncic]

Zero.

[Brian Windhorst]

Okay.

[Luka Doncic]

Zero. I had no idea.

[Brian Windhorst]

Most of the time in our business, when there's a significant deal, even if it's an insignificant deal, we have heard something about it. Some we can't always talk about it because, you know, sometimes there's. We got to protect people. Sometimes we don't see all the sides of it and what have you. But normally we are at least a little bit aware in our business of certain things coming down. There was nothing on this. Zero. Nothing. And then based on the way my phone lit up, Stephen, A head, coaches, players, executives, agents, players, lawyers, the workout guys, you. You know, the reaction that I got from the. All the phases of the NBA is the shock. I've never seen anything like it. I do think it's truly. Not only is it the fact that it's a star for a star in the middle of the season, which is extraordinarily rare, but it was a star for a star where nobody in the whole NBA universe saw it coming, which makes it a one off that I've ever seen.

[Luka Doncic]

It's Obvious why the Los Angeles Lakers would do this deal. Despite the greatness of Anthony Davis. Luker is a once in a generation talent. He's box office. He's got international, you could say international appeal. That doesn't even begin to measure his cachet. And we know what the Laker brand is all about. This is what they do. They put forth succession plans, you know, from the days of whether it's Wilt, it's Kareem, it's Gasol, it's. It's Shaq, it's. I mean, the list just goes on and on. Jerry west, draft day swap for Kobe Bryant. It never stops. We understand the Lakers. What possible explanation do you have for the Dallas Mavericks electing to do this? Wendy?

[Brian Windhorst]

I think it's a basic one. They knew that coming on July 1st or I guess June 30th, they had to give him a five year, 200 or $350 million deal or not. If they didn't give it to him, it was going to all hell was going to break loose. If they did give it to him, they had to believe in him for the next five years at that price, and they didn't believe in it. And that decision is the core of all of this, as far as I know. Now, maybe there'll be new information that'll come out, but as far as I know, they basically decided they didn't want to give him that deal. And, you know, there are, there are certain situations where you would say, look, if you don't love a player, give him the contract at least, because then if you want to trade him, the player can't control where he goes. So a player has a year on his contract, which is what Luca would have, that he could control where he goes. So there would, you know, one school of thought would be, all right, you don't love him, give him the contract and figure it out later. But they not only made that decision, they made the decision that they wanted to do something now and to deal with it this season. I suspect, I don't know, but I suspect the reason is because Kyrie Irving is in his, you know, early to mid-30s. They don't want to do something that is going to detract from that. Not only that, Kyrie Irving can be a free agent this summer, and they wouldn't want to have to deal with both situations. So I do think the core of it was they didn't want to pay him the 350. They live in a world where they see Joel Embiid on this humongous contract that now is becoming potential problem for the 76ers. They kind of wanted to avoid that and they said they wanted to compete for a championship this year. And they went out there and they looked and they said the player that we can get, that can make us win, have a chance to win this year is Anthony Davis. And those two realities though, you can, you can say that those are mistakes, you can say that it's a flaw in judgment, but those two realities led us to that result when that trade came down Saturday night.

[Luka Doncic]

The thing that's challenging for me as I sit here and continue to cover this story along with yourself and, and Sham Sharania broke the story. So let's give him some love and props for that and what have you. The thing that, that, that, that really throws me aback is whether it's from other NBA executives, whether it's from Hollywood stars. The list goes on and on. They're like, wait a minute. The Knicks had to give away five first round picks to get Mikel Bridges. They had to give away a couple of picks to get a Carl Anthony Towns assets had to be surrendered to get a Rudy Gobert. You look at some of these deals that have transpired. How in the hell can anybody justify the Dallas Mavericks telling us we're going to give away Luca? We know that Anthony Davis is all world, he's 25 and 12 in his sleep. He's one of the best big men in the game. He's an elite defensive player, but still not to having nearly the box office appeal or anything like that. Nor is he the player that Luka Doncic is. How do you justify getting, getting or giving away Luka Doncic and only getting one first round pick in return? How does Brian went to us explain that.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, so the Kevin Durant trade is a fascinating one because if you compare Durant and Anthony Davis, you look at what the Nets got and I think right now it's up to nine first round picks, some pick swaps because they obviously got, you know, Mikhail Bridges. They got draft picks and Mikhail Bridges and Cam Johnson. They already swapped out Bridges and they might even swap out Cam Johnson for another first round pick or two that could go to double digits in first round picks. And frankly, if the Mavericks wanted to, they probably could have called Brooklyn and offered them them. Luca and I think they could have gotten the lion's share of that stuff that's from that Durant trade. But I think the big difference here is the Mavericks wanted a player they could win with. Now all of Those picks look incredibly impressive on paper. None of them are helping them win this season. So I can get my mind. And as I've talked to executives in the league, Stephen A. It's helped me get my mind around, okay, they came to the decision that Luca isn't going to be their guy. Okay. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I can understand it. They came to a decision that Anthony Davis was going to be their guy. Okay, you don't want to open up to the whole market. I think that's possibly a mistake, but that's your decision. I can kind of get it. The one thing I, I haven't reconciled is not getting everything from the Lakers for this player. And I understand why. The Lakers were negotiating. The Lakers are saying, hey listen, Luca is going to be a free agent in a year and a half. We don't get the supermax advantage. Luca was going to sign. I don't care what anybody says, Luca was going to sign that 350 million dollar deal. That was not a stressor for the Mavericks. The stressor wasn't whether Luca would sign it. The stressor was whether the Mavs wanted to pay it. The Lakers don't have that advantage. They don't get the supermax. What Luca can now sign with with the Lakers is the same thing. He can sign with anybody else. The Lakers now have a year and a half, but they're going to try to get it done this summer. But they, they're on the clock a little bit to get Luca to get Luca a team around him that he feels good about. And you know, there's only so much you're going to be able to sell them on playing with 40 year old LeBron. He's got to worry about the, the five years. So I can see why the Lakers would say, listen, we got to hold back a draft pick, we got to hold back Austin Reeves because we gotta potentially still build this team around Luca in the next few months. I can understand the negotiating position. I can't understand why Dallas didn't get it anyway. And so that's the one thing I don't understand, why they left those things on the table. And God bless Rob Pelinka, you can say that this fell into their lap and that's a fair assessment. But you can't say he didn't negotiate a good deal. Whatever he did to get the Mavericks to accept the terms, he did a great job making that negotiation.

[Luka Doncic]

With that being said, nobody has been, I don't recall anybody being more critical of Luka Doncic than you over the years in terms of his conditioning, particularly during the NBA playoffs, especially in the Finals, in a particular game against Boston, you went ballistic. You was as disgusted with him as I've ever seen you. When we, when we hear that the Dallas Mavericks were fed up with Luka Doncic, put into perspective through your years of covering this league, the kind of stuff that they saw, the kind of stuff they believe he was doing. Brian Windhorse, that made them say, we've had enough, get the hell up out of here and we gonna send you to LA. And oh, by the way, we gonna cost you nine figures, about $125 million, because you're no longer eligible for the supermax. You gotta accept the max deal from the Los Angeles Lakers, which is at about 219 to 229, as opposed to the 345 that you were going to get from Dallas. What was he doing to make the Dallas Mavericks do this?

[Brian Windhorst]

And don't forget, I know, you know, the taxes, the taxes, the taxes between Texas and California, that's not even computed. The reason I was so viscerally upset after game three of the finals last year was because I had seen Luca. I wasn't about his conditioning, like, you know, I don't know his. I'm not an expert in conditioning, clearly, but what I was upset about was that he allowed his demeanor and his focus on the game to hurt his team. And I had seen him do this several times before in big games for his national team. I cover international basketball. I have seen him do this several times while playing for the Slovenian national team. He was, he was ejected or disqualified from a game, a vital game, an elimination game, when he completely started to hurt his team, by the way, his demeanor was in that, in that game. And so I was viscerally upset that he did it again on this highest stage. Because if you, if you're down two zero and you lose game three, you're eliminated. No one's ever come back from three, zero, and they weren't going to come back from three zero. And the fact that he played so well with so much focus in game four only made it worse. And I was frustrated that the finals were going to be over. STEPHEN A. Because. And I felt that he was the key to making the finals a long grade finals. And instead he was the key to making it a short finals. And, and that's why I was upset. And you know this better than anybody. When you say something about a player, when you are critical of a player or an organization Even if you're. You're. You're founded in your facts and your opinion is right, you will often have people defend that. That person or that team. You. Your phone blows up during commercial breaks on first take. And for people who give you instantaneous defense. When that happened last year, and I said that about Luca, I was in Dallas coming to the arena every day for days on end, and nobody from the Mavericks organization said anything to me, even if they thought I was right. And what I was pointing out, typically you're used to getting them to defend their guy because that's their. Sometimes their job and their prerogative. Nobody said anything to me. And, you know, when that happened, I made a note of it in my head. I was like. Because I prepared myself. I came into the building going, okay, here it comes. I'm going to get a procession, pr, someone from the front office, someone from the coaching staff. Nothing. And it's because I think that on a personal level, they had been very frustrated with him, too. And then they came into this season off that great season last year. Tremendous momentum. He gets hurt in training camp, probably because he wasn't in the best shape. While he's hurt, he falls way out of shape. He comes back and is so out of shape that he has this hand or wrist injury, and they shut him down again. Yes, to help the injury, but also to get him back in physical condition. He comes back, and then he gets injured again in the same injury. So I think his health was exacerbated, his conditioning this year, but I think there was the whole package that was detracting. And having said all that, I still think it's a controversial and questionable decision to pull the ripcord on a guy 25 years old. I don't think I could have done it.

[Luka Doncic]

What kind of effect do you think this move signals to players in the league and for the league overall? Owners executives seem happy that the Dallas Mavericks sent this kind of message, that they were willing to send away their superstar because it says the message, nobody is safe.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, maybe it is a tipping point. You. You eloquently talked about that on first take today. I guess we've got to wait and see. You know, if Mark Cuban was still the owner of the team, all of these things could have been true with Luca. And I don't think Mark Cuban does it because I think he had a different view of it. And. And again, maybe Nico Harrison and Patrick Dumont, who's the. The governor of the team and, you know, signed off on this. Maybe he'll maybe they'll regret it.

[Luka Doncic]

But.

[Brian Windhorst]

But it is fascinating that they're saying that all of the things that Luca brings, you know, teams either have generational superstars or they're trying to get them. That's it. Essentially, you can put teams into two different baskets. Everything else that they do, you either got a superstar or you don't and you're dreaming of one. So to have one and to send them away because they didn't fit exactly what you wanted is a complete going against the grain of everything we've seen for the, for the, the last era in the NBA. So maybe this blows up in the Mavericks face. Maybe two years from now we see the Lakers coming to the same conclusions that the Mavericks have already come to. And the Mavericks will look good. I would still bet on Luka Doncic. I wouldn't put my life on. I wouldn't put my house on it. I still would.

[Luka Doncic]

I.

[Brian Windhorst]

So would I. I still believe that I, you know, when I got frustrated him last year and criticized him heavily, I really, I still believe that it's part of his story arc. I still think someday he's holding the Larry O'Brien in one hand and the Bill Russell trophy in the other and telling everybody to stick it. I proved you all wrong and it would all have been part of his journey. I still think that day could be coming. But the Mavericks don't. And the Mavericks know more about Luka than anybody else in the NBA.

[Luka Doncic]

Brian Windows right here with Stephen A. Smith. Hold on, Brian. I got a couple of quick hitters for you. Before I let you go on, I'll let you on out of here. You're watching the Stephen A. Smith show right here over the Digital Airways, YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day.

[Luka Doncic]

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[Luka Doncic]

Want to talk about colon cancer screening for a second here. I know you might hear that and instantly feel a bunch of dread. You're thinking stuff like drinking all of.

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Luka Doncic]

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[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One Podcast, One Mission. Save Our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

Snakes, Zombies, Sharks Heights. Speaking in public. The list of fears is endless. But while you're clutching your blanket in the dark wondering if that sound in the hall was actually a footstep, the real danger is in your hand when you're behind the wheel. And while you might think a great white shark is scary, what's really terrifying and even deadly is distracted driving. Eyes forward, don't drive distracted. Brought to you by NHTSA and the AD Council.

[Luka Doncic]

Back with Bryan Windhorse right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. I want to look at some other moves from the weekend before I let you get on out of here. De'Aaron Fox is heading to San Antonio while Zach Lavine is heading to the Sacramento Kings. What do you make of that three way deal that happened?

[Brian Windhorst]

So the spurs are extremely excited because they were able to acquire Darren Fox without giving up any of their core pieces. I'm talking about a guy like Devin Vassell, a young guy like Stefan Castle, their their first round draft pick from this past year. Even a guy like Keldon Johnson, who's a, who's a key player for them, they didn't have to give him up. And they gave up a multiple two to first round picks but not their best picks. They have the, the Atlanta Hawks unprotected pick this year that, you know, that could be a good pick. The Hawks right now are, are sliding. They didn't, they didn't have to give that, that up for example. So they're very excited about it. What I would say is they now have to give Darren or they now have to give Darren Fox A $50 million a year contract. And part of the reason why I think the Kings decide to trade him is they weren't necessarily sure he was a fifty million dollar a year player. And so that is going to be an interesting thing. It's not as public and it's not as, as much talent as Luca. But some of the King's decision here to trade him now I think was, you know, they weren't sure they wanted to pay him that money. So we'll see how that works out for the Spurs. But he's not, he doesn't have to be their franchise player. Their franchise player wears number one. One of the interesting things about this to me is that the Kings get Zach Levine and they pair him with DeMar DeRozan, a pairing that they're both very, I like them as, as people. I've gotten to know them a little bit. They're, they're both extremely talented, they're both having good seasons. But they're pairing together did not mean success in Chicago and they got some extra first round picks for it. But I don't see like the King shouldn't fall off here. You trade one of your best players, typically it's a fall off. The King should remain competitive. They can still make the playoffs. But it's, it's curious that two years ago they were in the playoffs and they were on the right path and they've ended up trading away their best player, arguably him or Sabonis, and firing the coach that got them there and then importing a duo from Chicago that very much didn't work in Chicago. So I'm not sure they're exactly headed the right direction.

[Luka Doncic]

Yeah, I will say this to you though. The Aaron Fox may not be worth 50 million a year in Sacramento because where were you going? But is he worth 50 million a year to be the point guard you're going to pair with Victor when M. Yana I say yes, I have no problem with it whatsoever. Finally, what's up with Jimmy Butler who reportedly told the warriors he won't sign a long term deal of Golden State with a trade for him? What's the deal with Jimmy Butler right now?

[Brian Windhorst]

You've got to admire, you can say a lot of things about Jimmy Butler. You've got to admire how hard he is working to force his way to the Phoenix Suns. And maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. The Suns are trying to contort themselves in a hundred different ways to pull off this almost impossible trade, get Bradley, be able to accept a trade and, and make that trade to a place that can deliver stuff that can get Jimmy Butler. It's so hard. But Jimmy is so focused on making it happen. He is telling other options that would be really good options. You know, he could have gone to Memphis, said no I don't want to be there that that team could win a championship this year. I mean, I wouldn't favor it, but they could. He could have gone to Golden State and played with Steph and he said, no, you know, I'm not going to sign there. He is absolutely hell bent on forcing his way to Phoenix. And Phoenix is still trying. They're still throwing out lines, trying Hail Mary's. If that doesn't happen and we get to Thursday and the Phoenix option finally closes, then I think you could see reopening the situation with Golden State. But Jimmy Butler is determined to give that every single opportunity. I have no idea whether it's going to work out, but it's amazing what he's and by the way, costing himself a lot of money to force his way out of Miami. His desire to get to Phoenix is incredible. You could debate whether his desire to be great for the Heat would not have been more productive, but he is certainly going this route.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They could come out of the west.

[Luka Doncic]

With Jimmy Butler, with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. I don't have any doubt in my mind they'd have a shot. They'd have a big time shot. But I also know this. You know, talking about getting him, getting less, he's making life difficult for Pat Riley. Which brings me back to Pat Riley looking him in the face and telling him nearly two months ago, no, we're not trading you. He should have never said that in my estimation. Last but not least, what what the hell is up with Bradley Beal and why is he so hell bent on staying in Phoenix? If it's clear that they want him to waive his no trade clause so they can move him out of there, why would he want to stay someplace that doesn't particularly want him? What's wrong with him?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, that's their strategy, Stephen A. Their strategy is to make him so uncomfortable that he will waive it. And it's a heck of a strategy. I have heard many different machinations of what could happen with Bradley Beal and most of them I reject. There are a couple of places I could see him being willing to go. The weird thing is one of them is Miami and Miami doesn't want him. So there actually this could have been a clean trade. His agent, Mark Bartlestein, who has been doing this job for over 30 years, is looked me in the face and said, brad is not, does not want to be traded. He's not going to waive it. That said, he is being offered around. So I am leaving all options open I am not going to project how that's going to go. I do think it's possible that Brad could be traded in a part of a Butler deal by Thursday, but my gosh, it is a complicated situation that's been hard to watch unfold.

[Luka Doncic]

The one and only Brian Windows. Appreciate you, buddy. You know, we'll be talking a lot over the next few days and weeks to come. No doubt about it. Take it easy. See you on NBA Today in a little bit. Thanks so much, buddy.

[Brian Windhorst]

Have a great week in New Orleans, by the way.

[Luka Doncic]

All right, man, I'll try my best.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Coming up, we'll talk about the trade.

[Luka Doncic]

Looking at it from the Maverick side.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How far can the Mavericks go in.

[Luka Doncic]

The west and then some? I'll address all that and more right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. Don't go away.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm looking forward to it. I know you are. Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Indiana, baby. The Philadelphia Eagles vs. The Kansas City Chiefs hurts. Saquon vs. Mahomes. Kelsey and the crew.

[Luka Doncic]

I'm looking forward to it for several reasons. Number one, I expect it to be a good game. Number two, guess what? I love New Orleans sometimes. Anyway. The food is great.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Number three, I get to be away.

[Luka Doncic]

From my damn nephew Josh. He's trying to come down there. I'm not letting him. This little knucklehead right here, this is, this is Josh Jr, my little nugget nephew, Jace. He can't come to the Super Bowl. He's gonna be in school. Just the way I like it. He can't come. You like that. You gotta stay home. You gotta stay home. That's how it goes. See y'all at the Super Bowl. Stephen A. Smith show will be in the house all week long. Holla at your boy. Foreign.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the searches. We explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast. Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

Snakes, zombies, sharks, heights. Speaking in public, the list of fears is endless. But while you're clutching your blanket in the dark, wondering if that sound in the hall was actually a footstep, the real danger is in your hand when you're behind the wheel. And while you might think a great white shark is scary, what's really terrifying and even deadly is distracted driving. Eyes forward. Don't drive distracted. Brought to you by NHTSA and the AD Council.

[Luka Doncic]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. Now let's look back to the trade between the Mavs and the Lakers that swapped all NBA players Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis, who's now with the Mavericks. I want to look at this deal from the Mavs perspective, who now have a chance to come out of the West. In my opinion, ladies and gentlemen, this is not complicated. To me, it's relatively simple. It's relatively simple. Anthony Davis is an all world player. It ain't like you traded Luka Doncic and you bring some scrub that's struggling to average two points a game, even 10 points a game. Anthony Davis is averaging 25 and 12.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He's an all NBA defensive player.

[Luka Doncic]

He's a candidate for defensive player of the year.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He's one of the elite defenders and.

[Luka Doncic]

The elite big men in the game of basketball.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He's a champion not only at the collegiate level for Kentucky, but with the Lakers with their championship in the bubble.

[Luka Doncic]

For four years ago.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The brother can bowl, okay. When he's had success in the past.

[Luka Doncic]

It was with a point guard. Whether it's Jrue Holiday or whether it's.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Rajon Rondo or somebody, this is what he's had available. Now you're going to be playing with Kyrie. Let's look at their front line. You got Gafford, you got Lively, and now you got Anthony Davis. Now, he told the Los Angeles Lakers he wanted them to get a five so he could play the four position because that was his natural.

[Luka Doncic]

That's his natural slot, his natural spot.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what he wanted to do. That's what he told them, okay? When he told him that, they obviously weren't too happy about it, okay? Because they, you know, once again, it's.

[Luka Doncic]

Another complaint, I guess.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But the Lakers said, hey, he was nothing but professional when we called him.

[Luka Doncic]

He was nothing but professional when we called him.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And like I told you, Rob Pelinka called him first. Then he called Rich Paul, then he called LeBron James. This is According to them. And as a result, that's how things were handled. Were they happy about it?

[Luka Doncic]

No.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Anthony Davis just bought a $32 million mansion in Bel Air. That brother wasn't trying to leave. He looked at himself as the face of the franchise. And then, lo and behold, when LeBron James put on the show Saturday night against the New York Knicks, Anthony Davis was texting him, congratulating them, thanking the players for standing up and holding it down while he was going because he didn't play. And then next thing you know, he gets word he's been traded. So it was obviously devastating for him. But he's going to Dallas. And in Dallas. They are better in Dallas. They do have him in Dallas. The offense will go through him and Anthony Davis, according.

[Luka Doncic]

Him and Kyrie Irving.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm sorry, according to Jason Kidd, who I spoke to, told me that. So you got that going on. You kept P.J. washington. You got Klay Thompson, by the way, career low, 38% shooting for three point range. You know how many people in the NBA wish they could shoot 38% for three point range? This Klay Thompson. We talk about this. A four time champion. This is a brother that lives for big moments. It's Klay Thompson.

[Luka Doncic]

We talked.

[Stephen A. Smith]

This is Klay Thompson, OKLAHOMA CITY, Game 6, when he dropped 41 on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and those boys. Remember that. Remember how many big shots he's hit in numerous playoff appearances. That Klay Thompson, he might have left Golden State. He might not be the same player, but he's in a better situation than Golden State is in right now. So when you look at Klay Thompson and his experience and his marksmanship, when you look at the fact that you got Kyrie with the ball in his hands, no longer having to defer to Luka Doncic. When you look at Anthony Davis having a post presence and a big man that you could kick the ball to, whether it's from 15, from 10, from 5 or from 3 point range. And you consider the fact that the Mavs have improved defensively by leaps and bounds. I got them as a top two team in the West. Let me tell you why I put.

[Luka Doncic]

Them at number one, assuming they get their act together.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, Oklahoma City's been on a.

[Luka Doncic]

Roll and they've been balling all year long. And we all know that. We all know that about the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shay Gilgis Alexander was my MVP last year, damn it. He's my MVP right now, even though that damn Jokic never goes away. My God, is He special, but Shay.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Gilous Alexander is that dude.

[Luka Doncic]

Oklahoma City's record right now is 38 and nine. Best record in the NBA is Cleveland at 49.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oklahoma City is number one seed in.

[Luka Doncic]

The west at 38 and nine. Six game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies. Six and a half game lead over the Houston Rockets. Who I'm telling y'all are coming. IME Udoka, Amen Thompson and those boys are coming. Make no mistake about it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But Oklahoma City would be the number.

[Luka Doncic]

One team right now, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Do you know why I put Dallas up there? Because even without Luca, the same Dallas.

[Luka Doncic]

Mavericks team that beat Oklahoma City in the playoffs last year when Oklahoma City was number one seed, that's the same Dallas Mavericks team that beat Oklahoma City twice in the last two weeks without Luka. This is what they do.

[Stephen A. Smith]

For some reason, they just seem to be an Achilles heel for the Oklahoma City Thunder. You go out and you get Isaiah.

[Luka Doncic]

Hartenstein, of course you got Chet Holmgren, who's been out and eventually we hope he'll be back.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But if I told you you got.

[Luka Doncic]

A choice between Anthony Davis and Isaiah Hartenstein, who would you pick? I'm just asking a rhetorical question because we all know the damn answer. It's Anthony Davis.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And so Anthony Davis joining Gafford and Lively and P.J.

[Luka Doncic]

Washington. I got news for y'all, that's formidable.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's no joke.

[Luka Doncic]

That's something to pay attention to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now you, Anthony Davis.

[Luka Doncic]

Do you know he already he got an automatic at least 9% spike in his salary just because he parted departed from Los Angeles to Dallas, from California to Texas. No state income taxes in Texas. You know, you know he had a 9% spike in his money.

[Stephen A. Smith]

This a brother getting paid over 50 million a year.

[Luka Doncic]

That 9% matters. That matters. That's what Anthony Davis got right now. Now you gotta, you know, he can lease out the mansion. He can sell it, he can live there in the off season.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They said Luca had a 12 million.

[Luka Doncic]

Dollar mansion he just closed on a few weeks a couple weeks ago, just like Anthony Davis did.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you Luca's.

[Luka Doncic]

Crib is probably just as big and probably just as fly as Anthony Davis is. But notice the difference between 12 million.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And 32 million because one was in Cali and one's in Texas.

[Luka Doncic]

So Anthony Davis money gonna go pretty damn far.

[Stephen A. Smith]

In other words, whatever he's going through.

[Luka Doncic]

He'Ll get over it. He's had a long standing relationship with Nico Harrison. He was coached by Jason Kidd during the championship year.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And he's going to a place where.

[Luka Doncic]

His money will go longer, stretch wider. He'll be fine and he's on a better team. LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers, that's an entirely different matter, especially for LeBron James. I'll explain. Talking about LeBron James, what his future might be, what the hell I think it should be based on the information we all have. That's up next right here on the Stephen A. Show. Don't go away. What's up everybody? It's your boy, Stephen A. Smith. I can't wait until super bowl week. Live from New Orleans, Stephen A. Smith show will be there all week long, every day of the week leading up to Super Bowl 59. The Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelsey.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hell, Taylor Swift against Jalen Hurts, Saquon.

[Luka Doncic]

Barkley and the crew.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It's a lot to get into. I personally can't wait.

[Luka Doncic]

I can't wait. I can't wait again. The whole show's gonna be there. Everybody gonna be there. Y'all welcome to come to as well, including me. I can go right.

[Brian Windhorst]

Be rich.

[Luka Doncic]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith show. We're talking about the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. The move is the first time two all NBA players have been traded for each other during a season. So the Lakers now have an international superstar to secure their future. But what does it mean for the four time champion and resident international superstar that is LeBron James? It's a huge question. By the way, Max Christie was a part of this deal as well. He ends up going with Anthony Davis. Max Christie was your 3 and D kind of player. He hit the 3, could defend the wing. One of the Lakers better defenders I might add. That also helps improve Dallas's defense as well. We can't forget this kind of stuff. Can't forget this. That's got that too. That's number one. Number two, gotta say something I said on the, on the air this morning. I'll say it again. If you're LeBron James and you're about winning, still you wave your no trade clothes, try to get to the Knicks. I know it's not gonna happen. I know it's not gonna happen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But if LeBron James was with Jalen Brunson and Bridges and Carl Anthony, man, something to think about. Something to think about. Now the Knicks, this is where I think they messed up because they gave away five first round picks for Mikel Bridges. They gave away a couple of first.

[Luka Doncic]

Round picks for the Anthony call. Anthony Towns.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All you got is a bunch of second round picks to give away and you can swap a couple of first round picks. That's the position they put themselves in.

[Luka Doncic]

I wish they had had more assets to go out there and try to coax LeBron James into waving his no trade clause.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The Golden State warriors, even though their chances seem slim, just imagine LeBron James.

[Luka Doncic]

With Draymond Green with a couple of those other assets. And the great Steph Curry, whose head you got to keep. Who forces you to keep your head on a swivel because you got to see where he's at. And you need oxygen, an oxygen tank whenever you finish because this brother is just ridiculous.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How about that guy? How about that guy? I'm just wondering because LeBron with Steph.

[Luka Doncic]

Curry would be something to behold and hell, they could possibly both go out together.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Because you see, if you go to.

[Luka Doncic]

State, you can't just waste away the years of Steph Curry. This is a once in a generation player. You utilize him to the max, it ain't gonna always be there. But Getting back to LeBron James, here's the point. LeBron James has looked sensational, no doubt about it. At age 40, we ain't never seen anything like it. Y'all want me to concede to him as being the goat? Sure, I'll do it. In terms of longevity, he is the goat when it comes to longevity.

[Stephen A. Smith]

LeBron James at his best was not MJ at his best. That's my definition of the goat. But if you want to sit up there and look at, We've never seen somebody this age, this many years in the NBA, 22 years. Next year is going to be his 23rd year, start his career. We're number 23 and all of this other stuff, fine. I would say to you, he's the.

[Luka Doncic]

Goat in that category.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Nobody has ever been this great this long. My definition of the goat, however, is you at your best against mj. At his best against who was, who was greater.

[Luka Doncic]

It's MJ all day, every day, every day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's how I feel about it. Now back to LeBron and the Lakers.

[Luka Doncic]

I don't know if LeBron James and Luka Doncic can play together. That's another reason why I think he should be considering waving his no trade clause.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He's not going to do it.

[Luka Doncic]

From everything that I'm told, he's very, very comfortable in Los Angeles and Tinseltown.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He, he doesn't want to uproot himself.

[Luka Doncic]

His family or anything like that. You know, my, my attitude is you could go to Golden State and commute back to la, but him and Luka are ball hogs. Him and Luka are ball dominant.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And yes, LeBron James might not have.

[Luka Doncic]

A problem deferring and being deferential to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Luka to some degree, but can we really, really expect that? Can we really expect that? Because when you're a basketball savant, you see things others don't see, even if it's another great savant and as a result it could create conflict. I don't know.

[Luka Doncic]

And then you got to look at the assets. Right now, Jackson Hayes is the center that the Lakers are going to have to start. Yep. You kept Austin Reeves, fine.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yep.

[Luka Doncic]

You kept Rui Hachimura, sure, fine.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But when you talk about Luca and LeBron, you're a relatively undersized team, even though both of them can post dudes.

[Luka Doncic]

Up, smaller guards and forwards. No doubt about that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But how you going to defend? You think LeBron's running back on defense? You think Luka's running back on defense? Who are your defenders? You don't have any. If you're the Los Angeles Lakers, it ain't going to be Austin Reeves who teams isolate and pick on. So who's it going to be? So since you can't stop anybody, chances are you ain't going to win. And if you know that heading into the Fray, if you're LeBron James approaching your last year or so in the league, why stick around?

[Luka Doncic]

But he's going to stick around. All reports say he's going to stick around. So it's going to be interesting to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

See how he adjusts to Luca and whether or not they can coexist offensively.

[Luka Doncic]

I think they'll figure it out. Great players figure out how to play with one another. The late. I'm sorry, not the late Mr. Larry Brown. He's still alive and kicking.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Former coach of Phillips 76ers, Indiana Pacers, used to coach Denver in the ABA hall of Fame. Coach, coach the Pistons to a championship.

[Luka Doncic]

2004, lost to the finals to the spurs in 2005.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That Larry Brown.

[Luka Doncic]

Text me this morning.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Great players figure out a way to.

[Luka Doncic]

Play with one another.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is totally true. And that man has forgotten more basketball.

[Luka Doncic]

Than most of us know. I just believe it's not just about what LeBron and Luka can do. It's about who they gonna have to do it against. Have you seen Oklahoma City? Do you see how Dallas has assembled itself? Have you watched the Houston Rockets and how they've been balling and what Ime.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Udoka's got those brothers doing. Have you seen Amen Thompson? Have you seen Green Chagoon? Have you seen the Houston Rockets?

[Luka Doncic]

They're coming.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Memphis is no joke either. Everywhere we turn, what are we seeing? I'm just looking at this and I'm saying, yo. When Nico Harrison says our window is now, what he's saying is, team's only going to get better and better and better over the years. What we going to do about it? Are we going to get the chip or not? We can't worry about six, seven years down the line. That Luca could have been the face of the franchise. Having people walk through the turnstiles and averaging 28 a night and being box office, he trying to win a championship, and he didn't believe he could do it. With Luka. A lot of it. Ooh. Some of it shaky. I get it. I understand in a lot of people's eyes. But there is no denying that the Mavericks are better in terms of their talent and how they're assembled for a championship. We got to find out. This deal is an absolute loss that will scar Nico Harrison forever if he doesn't win a championship. With Anthony Davis on the squad, they gotta win a chip. And God help them if some kind of miracle happens and Luka Doncic and LeBron James managed to win a title before Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks pull it off. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Nico Harrison and Jason Kittle never live it down. Can't happen. They gotta win. And they got to make sure that they're considerably better than the Lakers.

[Luka Doncic]

And.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And they got to hope that Luka Doncic doesn't get this chip on his shoulders, similar to the chip that his father expressed he clearly has on his.

[Luka Doncic]

Shoulders on behalf of his son.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They better hope that Luka Doncic doesn't go to LA and just wreaks such havoc. You're like, who the hell is this dude? All of a sudden he walking around with a six pack. He. He consulted with Gary Brea, the ultimate human and that brand, and getting himself a six pack and being in shape and.

[Luka Doncic]

And.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And got some stamina and. And like he been eating a bunch of donuts. God help anybody if Lucas starts looking like that and playing like a dude who's possessed and in shape. Dallas got a hope for all of.

[Luka Doncic]

These things, but if you're LeBron James, where do you go from here? The Lakers reportedly did not consult LeBron James. He found out like everybody else, he had no clue. And if they didn't consult him, and they didn't consult Rich Paul for Clutch Sports, usually agents hear about these things. Usually they know about these things. They didn't consult Bill Duffy, the great Bill Duffy, about Luka Doncic either. But if they didn't do all of that, what does it say?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ladies and gentlemen, I asked a rhetorical question on first take this morning.

[Luka Doncic]

I'll ask it to you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right?

[Luka Doncic]

Now. If Kobe Bryant were alive, God rest his soul, and he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Lakers are doing a deal like this, do you really think that Jeanie Buss and Robert Lincoln would not have told Jerry Kobe Bryant beforehand? Do you think they would have kept.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Him in the dark?

[Luka Doncic]

Keeping LeBron James in the dark? I understand Rob Pelinka and his relationship with Nico Harrison and vice versa is what enabled it to be kept a secret. I get that part. But they wouldn't have kept that from Kobe. No way in hell.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And the fact that they kept it.

[Luka Doncic]

From LeBron James, what does that say about what they think about LeBron James and how they feel about him? I don't know the answer to those questions. I just think they're legitimate questions.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Fair or unfair. Clutch Sports had the reputation of being.

[Luka Doncic]

Seen as somebody, as an entity that was running the Lakers organization. And Jeannie Buss and Rob Palinka and them were very salty about that imagery being projected in their direction. Is this why Rich Paul didn't know? Rich Paul also represents Anthony Davis. Rich Paul, by the way, congrats to him. He represents De'Aaron Fox well as well, but he represents Anthony Davis.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He represents LeBron James.

[Luka Doncic]

So he didn't know. What does that mean? Could it mean that the Lakers want.

[Stephen A. Smith]

To send a message?

[Luka Doncic]

Genie Bus would send a message. Tired of all of this, we run this franchise, and we'll do what we want to do.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Because no matter what way you slice.

[Luka Doncic]

It, and I'm not saying that's how they feel.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm saying that's how it comes across.

[Luka Doncic]

That's what people think. What I would say to you is this. In the end, this is clearly Luka Doncic's franchise. Yes. Bronnie's on the team. That's what LeBron James wanted. He's dressed in a Lakers uniform. He's traveling. He was there at the Garden the other night, scored, scored a basket against the Knicks, scored a basket before that. You know, get someone else. We get all of that. LeBron James, what he usually wants, he usually gets for all we know, we might find out someday that LeBron was behind all of this. He wanted Luka. He just didn't want anybody to know he didn't. He wanted Luca so badly because Anthony Davis is a boy. I don't know, don't care. What I'm telling you is this. This is Clearly Lucas team. LeBron didn't mind being deferential to Anthony Davis, but I tell you, it's two different animals. He didn't mind being deferential to Anthony Davis because even with Anthony Davis as the number one option on a basketball court, it was clearly LeBron's squad. Anthony Davis didn't have the cachet and the popularity that LeBron James had or still has. But Luca does. And now Luca being in LA with him, clearly as the face of the franchise, clearly the dude who will be marketed, clearly the dude that the Lakers are looking to hang their hat on for the next decade.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They basically said, yo, man, you want to wave your trade? No trade clothes, go wave it.

[Luka Doncic]

You want to stay, stay, do what you want. But this is franchise. How is LeBron going to feel about that? That's the question. That's what we got to deal with. How's he gonna react to all of that? He ain't the story no more, y'all. Luca is just saying. Just saying. Well, listen, that's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Thank you all for joining me. Thanks again to my man Brian Winters for coming on and educating us about the nuances involving this mega, mega, blockbuster trade that took place over the weekend. By the way, before I say my goodbyes, officially, don't miss the Stephen A. Smith show this week from New Orleans, where we'll be broadcasting tomorrow through Friday ahead of the Super Bowl. We've got an all star cast of guests joining us throughout the week as we count down The Super Bowl 59 between the Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. And by the way, tell us who you think will win the game on our poll on my Twitter page at Stephen A. Smith. Again, thank y'all for joining us. Appreciate the. The love. Take care of yourself. I'm about to head to New Orleans from la, which is where I'm at right now. Peace and love, everybody. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Holl at you in a couple of days.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents. The only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on 3-2-6 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.