The Dallas Mavericks' trading Luka Doncic never made much sense.
However, after landing the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, expecting to take Cooper Flagg out of Duke, it makes things a bit easier to swallow. Unfortunately, for Mavericks fans, moving Doncic is still a decision nobody wanted. They can't change that, even if they add Flagg and he becomes a star.
When speaking to reporters about the situation, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said he understands how frustrated or hurt the franchise and the fan base still are after the deal.
He added that Doncic is clearly one of the best players in the world and played at a high level during his time in Dallas. Ultimately, Kidd noted that the team needs to move on and make the most of this new situation.
"I truly can understand the frustration, or the hurt of the trade. Luka is one of the best in the world. He was here, he played at a high level. All of the sudden, there is a change... But we have to move forward," he said, per SI.
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On paper, the Mavericks look to be a very good team.
They went to the NBA finals a year ago with Doncic on the roster, so it's impossible to say that they're better than they were with him on the team, but with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Flagg, Klay Thompson, and a few other impressive pieces, when healthy, the Mavericks have a chance to compete with the best in the Western Conference.