Mavericks/Lakers Trade is Bigger Than Luka Doncic

Photo from GMA Network

Written by: Elliot Allen

​As the NBA and sports world stands stunned by the surprising trade of the Dallas Mavericks Luca Doncic to Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, the resounding question is why?  There is talk about the X’s and O’s of what this trade means to both teams. Most believe the Lakers are looking to build for the future and put themselves in a position to win the championship for multiple years to come. On the other side, it is speculated that the Mavericks are going for the win now approach. While those are legitimate points, there appears to be more to it. So why make this trade?

IT’S BIGGER THAN THE PLAYERS TRADED!!!

That is a bold statement considering the players involved in this trade. Considering the current climate of the NBA this is a huge power move by NBA management. Considering the Jimmy Butler situation in Miami, along with the growing frustration of players missing a high volume of games, this trade becomes HUGE! One take is that the players are dictating the show with how they want teams to be run. That includes their unwillingness to play through injuries and back-to-back situations. Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson are two notable names who have had a tumultuous time with injuries and missing an inordinate number of games. Here is where the storyline thickens. Those two players, along with Doncic, have been questioned regarding their ability to stay in shape. This has been something that all three players dealt with for numerous years. One would have to believe lack of conditioning contributes to their injuries. Embiid has played very few games this year, Williamson also has played very few games this year and Doncic came into the season not in the best shape and subsequently went down early in the season with an injury which he is still out with at the time of this article rendering him to miss half the season so far. For all three players this has been the pattern for multiple years. This leads to the question of why this trade is bigger than the players involved.

THE LINE WAS DRAWN IN THE SAND BY OWNERSHIP WITH THIS DEAL

                This deal was initiated by the Dallas Mavericks, a clear indication of their frustration with Doncic not taking his conditioning seriously. It’s a tricky line because Luka’s success in the NBA is high level, particularly coming off of a NBA Final’s appearance last season! On one side of the line the Mavericks front office is taking a stand to say not just to Doncic but they are making a statement to the entire NBA. The statement is about players mentally accepting that their physical conditioning is very critical to the success of their teams and even more so to the business of the NBA. Having major stars sitting on the sidelines due to injuries is never good for business.
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          So, what stand could management take to change the mindset of players to take conditioning more seriously? This trade was the stance. It was interesting to see the reaction of the players in the NBA to the trade. Some reactions were captured live during the games. Some statements made in the aftermath. Bottom line it appears that message hit home. Many players have expressed anger, and a tone of uncertainty has been set. What will the result of uncertainty be? That brings us to the other side of the line drawn in the sand. The players are not happy with this feeling of seeing a seemingly untouchable player being traded without any knowledge or approval. Certainly, that must put players in a position to look at why? Maybe it will cause them to look at the accountability of being in supreme shape. Injuries in sports are definite; however, it can bring speculation when players are getting hurt because they are not in shape. This trade is an indication that management is reacting to that speculation. This sets the tone of attempting to change the mental approach of players regarding their physical training.  The NBA surely cannot be happy with the number of games missed by their marquee players. However, what can the league take to hold players more accountable for keeping their bodies in the best possible condition to compete on a nightly basis? It is tricky because the NBA does have guaranteed contracts, and it would be an epic fight with the players union to monetarily have consequences to players being injured and sitting out of a game.  So, this stance of trading Doncic is monumental, and it did have a financial effect on his next contract. While he can receive the max NBA contract, Doncic will lose out on millions of dollars because you can exceed that max amount only when re-signing with same team original contract came from.
                So, what does all this mean? Sports are thought of as a physical battle. That clearly is a true statement, but this situation highlights the importance of mental clarity. Consistent play is something every professional sport thrives on for various reasons ranging from having the best chance to win a championship, to attracting the best possible viewership for furtherment of the business. When that consistency is compromised it sacrifices the clarity of the sport. It is very difficult to regain that clarity in a large league like the NBA. Sometimes the path for clarity is dramatic move like the Doncic/Davis trade and the fashion in which it was done. The fallout in the coming months and into the next season will be interesting and that’s aside from what happens with wins or losses of the respective teams. Will this be a change in the players’ approach to conditioning their bodies in more compliance with the team and playing as many games as possible? As much as the game of basketball is a physical sport, this is where the conditioning of athletes minds is on display and the results are in front of us.