The Lakers pulled off a shocking blockbuster move by trading for Luka Doncic. Yes, it cost them Anthony Davis, but the fact that they only used one first-round draft pick is a surprise, to say the least.
With no one leaking or even speculating on this move before it happened, details are coming out in the days after the deal.
Not only did the Lakers get a tremendous deal in their favor, but vice president of basketball operation Rob Pelinka got Mavs general manager Nico Harrison to take less than they were asking for.
How did the Mavs not take every asset the Lakers have in this trade?
None of this makes sense from the Mavs’ perspective. How did you negotiate with just one team, never talk to your star player’s agent and get talked down from your original ask?
According to Kirk Goldsberry of The Ringer, Harrison wanted both picks and Dalton Knecht and after some elite gaslighting by Pelinka, he convinced them the move was a risky one for the Lakers and the price for Luka went down.
