The NBA world exploded this weekend, nay, not just the NBA world, the entire sports world. It is my full belief we will never experience a sports moment like we did at 12:12 AM on Sunday, February 2nd. Luka Doncic is a Los Angeles Laker. Wow. I woke up on Sunday morning thinking it was all a dream. This was single handedly the biggest trade in NBA history, and I don't think there will be a trade to top it for so many years to come. I was going to give my thoughts yesterday, but I’m glad I didn't, as we saw yet another blockbuster trade on Sunday night, which included De'aaron Fox and Zach Lavine being moved. To give my full thoughts on the trade, I am going to go through every team included (yes even the Jazz,) and give a grade to each team and my general thoughts about each team's situation.
Lakers receive: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
Mavericks receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Lakers' 2029 first-round pick
Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 second-round pick via Clippers, Mavericks' 2025 second-round pick
Lakers
Grade: A+
Luka freakin’ Doncic. That’s it. When you trade for a top 3-5 player in the league, who is barely into his prime, I couldn't care any less about any of the intangibles. This is a guy who just took his team to the NBA finals at 25 years old, a guy who has averaged nearly a triple double since he entered the league, a guy with 5 straight All Star STARTs and 5 straight All-NBA first teams! To acquire this guy at all is unfathomable and an amazing move, but to get him for an aging Anthony Davis, Max Christie who is a below average role player, and a 2029 FRP that will most likely be low 20s, is just unthinkable. You now don't have to worry about Lebron retiring, because for the next 6-8 years you have Luka Doncic. This team is weak defensively, but if the Lakers can go get a guy like Mitchell Robinson, or Clint Capela, I don't mind their lack of wing defense due to the star power they possess. Unless Luka suddenly becomes unavailable and misses multiple periods of time(or if he doesn't resign), this trade will never not be anything but an A+.
Mavericks
Grade: B-
I want so desperately to give the Mavericks an F. Who in their right mind trades a 26 year old superstar after a trip to the NBA Finals. Luka was only getting better, and probably would have been a league MVP in the coming years. As much as I hate trading Luka away, after watching GM Nico Harrison’s press conference, it is clear this move was made for certain reasons that I guess with a lot of thought make a small bit of sense. Receiving Anthony Davis is nice, and a first round pick is not bad if you want to make another move. This team now has a smaller championship window, but I would argue that they still have a great chance at playoff success. You have two 1-B players, AD and Kyrie, who may not be a Luka Doncic, but together they are by no means a bad duo. Then you slot those guys next to Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford, who are all great defenders, and you have a great recipe for a successful team. Klay can slot at the 2 now and will probably see more shots with AD posting up, and Washington/Gafford have less pressure to be amazing rim protectors with AD slotted at the 4. I will always hate trading Luka Doncic away, but I have a feeling this Mavericks team will make some noise.
Jazz
Grade: A
Danny Ainge you sly dog, always finding a way to benefit your teams no matter what. For those of you that don’t know, the only thing the Jazz gave up in this trade was $55,000 to each team for them to make this trade possible. What did they receive? Jalen-Hood Schifino, a 2nd year player who hasn't had success, but now gets to play for a bad rebuilding team where he can become comfortable and just hoop for a while, and TWO second round picks. All for $110,000. Not ground shaking, but it is so hard not to stare in awe of the way Danny Ainge does his job. And by no means is JHS a scrub, he is definitely a talented basketball player. He was awesome at Indiana, and quite frankly, do you know how hard it is to play for a Lebron led team? Not to say he was being treated unfairly, but this isn't a player who can be stuck into a championship contender and succeed, and that's what the Lakers were trying to do. He needs time to develop and become comfortable, and was never going to make an immediate impact. Since being drafted 17th overall in 2024, he has played just 109 minutes in the NBA, and in 15 games in the G-League, he averaged 22-5-5. The Jazz have missed on a few draft picks recently, and it never hurts to give a talented player a chance to just play basketball. Bravo, Danny Ainge, Bravo.
San Antonio Spurs receive: De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
Sacramento Kings receive: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, 2025 first-round pick (via Hornets), 2027 first-round pick (via Spurs), 2031 first-round pick (via Timberwolves), 2025 second-round pick (via Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick (via Bulls), their own 2028 second-round pick
Chicago Bulls receive: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, Their own 2025 1st-round pick (via Spurs)
Spurs
Grade: A
This is an amazing trade for the Spurs. Not only do you receive an All Star caliber point guard to pair with Wemby, but you get this done without giving up one of your better young pieces. The Spurs managed to get this done without trading Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Malachi Branham or Julian Champagnie. The picks they gave up werent of much value either, the Hornets pick wont convey this year, as they are one of the worst teams in the league, the 2027 first will definitely be post lottery, as the Spurs will be a playoff team by then, the 2031 Timberwolves pick is the most interesting of the 3, but that pick is so far away. De'aaron Fox will slot perfectly into this lineup, giving Wemby not only a great facilitator for the next few years, but also taking the pressure off him to do everything on the court. If the Spurs can continue to develop their core, this trade will 100% improve them tremendously within the next 2-3 years.
Kings
Grade: C+
When I first heard the reports of the Fox trade rumors, I immediately thought of the Spurs, and then I immediately thought of two names: Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell. Getting one of these two would have pushed this grade up tremendously, but the fact that the best “young piece” the Kings got was Sidy Cissoko just doesn't move me. Yes obviously Zach Lavine is a 20 ppg scorer, who can slide nicely next to Derozan, but you couldn't even get one young solid piece? The picks are meh, and will most likely turn into second round picks, and this trade just does not make the Kings better. This is not even close to a good return for De'aaron Fox, and the Kings could have done so much more to improve their team. The worst part is, the contracts on their books put them in this spot for the next 3 years, and this is not a spot where Sacramento can win a championship. The bottom line is this is an underwhelming return for De'aaron Fox.
Bulls
Grade: C
Chicago manages to do something like this every few years. Two firsts for Nikola Vucevic, Two seconds and Chris Duarte (who plays 4.4 minutes) for Demar Derozan, and now this. Lavine was having a career year shooting wise with Chicago, shooting 51-44-80, and they could have gotten so much more out of this trade. Obviously they want to rebuild, and I have no problem getting rid of Lavine, but to receive one player who is considered a “young talent,” is just underwhelming. Zach Collins is a serviceable veteran big, Kevin Huerter is a reliable shooter, and Tre Jones is a good young floor general. Even if you consider Tre Jones a great addition, the Bulls have Giddey (6.6 assists), Coby White (4.6 assists), and Ayo Dosumno (4.4 assists), and THT, and Dalen Terry. They are loaded with young guards. None of these 3 players really fit into their rotation right now, and they will most likely take minutes from the very young players. I like the return of their own first, but it was protected 1-10 so it most likely wouldn't have been conveyed once they moved Lavine, Vuc, and Lonzo. I’m not the biggest fan of this trade, but I don't mind the Bulls finally moving towards a rebuild, I’m hoping they continue to do so and can flip some of their other vets for picks and young players.
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