The Los Angeles Lakers are starting a new era, one fronted by superstar Luka Doncic after one of the most shocking trades in NBA history came to fruition over the weekend. Anthony Davis and Max Christie were the headlining return to the Dallas Mavericks, leaving LeBron James and Austin Reaves to lead the Lakers alongside Doncic.
Making this type of trade was a no-brainer for the Lakers. It extends their championship contention window by many years, turning the 31-year-old Davis into a 25-year-old Doncic. Losing Christie certainly hurts in the short-term as well, but there’s no way around the fact that the trade makes the Lakers better in the long-term.