One year ago, the NBA landscape shifted in a way few could have predicted: Luka Dončić, the face of the Dallas Mavericks and one of the league’s most electrifying talents, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Even now, it’s a move that still feels surreal. It didn’t just change two teams-it sent shockwaves through the entire league.
The Lakers, already a marquee franchise, suddenly had a new engine in Luka. Pairing him with LeBron James instantly reignited championship buzz in LA, even if their playoff run last season ended in a first-round exit.
But that was then. Now, with a full offseason to build chemistry, the Lakers have found their rhythm-and it’s showing.
They’re among the top teams in a loaded Western Conference, and Luka is doing what Luka does: leading the league in scoring and making it look effortless.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are still trying to make sense of what happened. The fallout from the trade was swift.
General Manager Nico Harrison, the architect of the deal, is no longer with the team. The front office has tried to right the ship, most notably by drafting Cooper Flagg-an exciting young talent who’s already given fans a reason to believe.
But belief only goes so far without a foundation. Right now, Dallas looks like a team that’s at least a year or two away from being back in serious contention.
And that’s a tough pill to swallow for a franchise that was just in the NBA Finals in 2024.
Jason Kidd, the Hall of Fame point guard turned head coach, was asked this week about the one-year anniversary of the trade. His answer was calm, measured, and-if you listen closely-tinged with a bit of frustration.
“I think it’s one year, next year will be two years. And next after that will be three.
We’ll keep counting,” Kidd said. “Luka’s moved on.
We’ve moved on. He’s playing extremely well.
He leads the league in scoring. He has his team in the hunt.
For that we wish him the best, but that’s just the business of basketball. We got to move forward.”
It’s the kind of answer you expect from someone who’s been around the NBA long enough to know how quickly things can change. But even if Kidd is saying all the right things, there’s no ignoring the reality: the Mavericks lost one of the most gifted players in the league, and they haven’t come close to replacing him-not in production, not in star power, and not in wins.
The real concern in Dallas isn’t just about missing Luka-it’s about losing momentum. The Mavericks aren’t just rebuilding; they’re trying to reestablish their identity.
And right now, that identity is unclear. Cooper Flagg is a promising piece, but without a strong supporting cast or a clear developmental trajectory, hope can quickly turn into frustration.
In a Western Conference that reloads fast and rarely forgives missteps, standing still is the same as falling behind.
In Los Angeles, the situation is the opposite. The Lakers are no longer just hoping to stay relevant-they’re expected to contend.
Luka’s scoring title is impressive, but in LA, individual accolades only matter if they come with banners. With LeBron still on the roster, the clock is ticking.
A deep playoff run isn’t just a goal-it’s the minimum expectation.
As for Kidd, his comments may sound like acceptance, but in the NBA, acceptance doesn’t absolve responsibility. Coaches aren’t judged for losing stars-they’re judged for what happens after.
And right now, the Mavericks are still searching for direction. If that search doesn’t yield results soon, the Luka trade won’t just be remembered as a misstep by the front office-it’ll be seen as the moment the franchise lost its footing.
One year later, the Lakers are chasing titles. The Mavericks? They’re chasing clarity.