The Dallas Mavericks trading away Luka Dončić was arguably the most shocking move in the history of the franchise. A firm fan favorite and franchise icon already, Dončić was on his way to becoming an all-time great. Soon after, the franchise fell apart at the seams with virtually every starter on the team injured.
For fans in Dallas, hope was drying up in short order. The 2025 NBA Draft lottery was their last hope, and they thankfully got the result they were hoping for. However, one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Dončić trade, LeBron James, could not help but see the hilarity in the situation.
A loaded draft class led by clear favorite Cooper Flagg was won by the Mavericks, essentially guaranteeing them one of the best young prospects in recent memory. A three-level scorer with elite defensive potential, Flagg is one of the most heralded rookies in quite some time.
But, for Dallas fans who have lamented their future for the past few months, the turnaround is going to be swift. For years, Dončić was seen as arguably the best rising star, compiling an impeccable resume in short order.
Now a member of the Lakers, James is getting to witness some of that excellence as the Slovenian takes the offensive burden off of him. But for all the jokes about Los Angeles fleecing or rigging the league to land the five-time All-NBA superstar, their victory in the Flagg sweepstakes was nothing short of hilarious for the NBA legend.
Sending out a series of laughing emojis and nothing else, the context from the four-time NBA Champion was clear as day. For the Mavericks, it is arguably the best-case scenario that the franchise could get post the trade.
Even though Kyrie Irving will likely miss the entire 2025-26 season, a Flagg and Anthony Davis core should be ideally suited to compete in the short and long term. Moreover, as a two-way ace with elite scoring ability, Flagg might not get a better mentor than Davis.
At the collegiate level, the freshman had one of the most remarkable seasons in recent history, earning ACC Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors as he led Duke in all five major statistical categories.
He finished the year averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals and blocks apiece. With shooting averages of over 48% from the field and 38% from distance, it was hard to find any flaws in the ultra-refined prospect.
For James and the Lakers, the 2024-25 season came to a disappointing conclusion as they bowed out in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves despite being the significantly higher seed (three vs. six).
However, with an in-his-prime Dončić and James still playing at a high level, a few tweaks might be all it takes for the team to soar into championship contention.
