NBA
Luka Doncic Trade: Mavs Were Fed Up With Conditioning, Defense

Thanks to one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, Luka Doncic is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Dallas Mavericks shipped off the 25-year-old MVP candidate in exchange for Anthony Davis in a deal that involved other players, massively altering the future of both franchises.
Luka Doncic Traded Amid Conditioning Concerns
Why were the Mavs willing to pull the trigger and part with the player who has been named First Team All-NBA in each of the last five seasons? According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, there were serious concerns about both Doncic’s overall conditioning, as well as his defense.
There has never been an issue on offense for Luka Doncic. The league leader in points per game last season, he is known as one of the more prolific scorers in the game today. But he has some serious shortcomings on the defensive end, which have often been on display in the biggest games that Dallas has played during recent playoff runs.
The Mavs had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 2, 2025
Another one of the issues that Doncic has had early on in his career centers around his conditioning. He has always been thought to be on the heavier side for a player of his usage and caliber, and it is one of the points that the Mavericks’ general manager brought to attention in his first comments since the trade.
As MacMahon reports, Nico Harrison had the following to say:
“I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future”
The compensation they received makes Dallas feel as though they’ll be more competitive immediately. Anthony Davis is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and brings an entirely new element to a team whose backcourt will now be run by Kyrie Irving.
The Mavericks are off to a rough start in defense of their Western Conference Championship from a season ago. They are currently in 8th through their first 49 games this season, and felt they needed a jarring shift to their attack in order to try and compete this year and in the near future.
Luka Doncic hasn’t played since Christmas.