The Dallas Mavericks shocked the world at the February 6 NBA trade deadline, sending All-NBA guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a three-team deal, receiving Anthony Davis in return.
Following the big trade, the Mavericks’ luck took a turn for the worst. Davis suffered a major injury in his Dallas debut. Soon after, Kyrie Irving sustained a torn ACL, ending his season.
The Mavericks went on to fall in the standings, ending their season with a play-in tournament loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
However, Dallas’ fortunes took a positive turn during Monday night’s NBA draft lottery. Finishing the regular season with a 39-43 record, the Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of winning the top pick in June’s NBA draft, with the top prize being Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg.
In comparison, the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz had the best chance at the No. 1 pick at 14.0% apiece.
Sure enough, the Mavericks were the last team called and secured the first pick, allowing them to take Flagg, finding a quick replacement for Doncic.
But Doncic didn’t appear to be too concerned about the lottery. On Tuesday, the Slovenian made a wordless post on his Instagram Story, including a photo of him with his daughter Gabriela on his shoulders.
Like the Mavericks, the Lakers didn’t quite have the ending to the season they were looking for. After Doncic joined the team, he and LeBron James helped the Lakers climb the standings and secure the No. 3 seed in the West.
But their season ended early in the playoffs, falling to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the first round.
Still, Doncic was one of the better performers for LA in the playoffs, leading the team in scoring and assists. In five games, he averaged 30.2 points on 45.2% shooting, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
For the Mavericks, the addition of Flagg alongside Davis, Irving and Klay Thompson could have Dallas contending for a title next season while securing their future.
