NBA pundit dubs Luka Dončić trade to Lakers worst swap in NBA history

NBA pundit dubs Luka Dončić trade to Lakers worst swap in NBA history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Luka Dončić’s one-year trade anniversary with the Los Angeles Lakers is on the horizon, and right now it’s looking like one of the most lopsided trades of all time.

The Dallas Mavericks traded the franchise cornerstone for a great player in Anthony Davis. The problem is that Davis always seems to be hurt, is six years older than Dončić, and has arguably never peaked as high as Luka is right now.

There is an argument to be made, and Fansided’s Eamon Cassels points out one that may be having a bigger impact right now.

“In 2019, the Clippers now infamously traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and two pick swaps for (Paul) George,” Cassels said Tuesday. “While the Thunder have already won one championship, the Clippers only made one conference finals appearance in the PG-Kawhi Leonard era. As hinted at earlier, the Clippers are now at the bottom of the West with a 5-16 record. And oh, by the way, they let George walk in the 2024 offseason.

“However, process wise there's nothing worse than the Luka trade.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently 21-1, one of the greatest starts in NBA history, and it took one move to make that happen. Their roster was built on this trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, and they can thank them as they continue to conquer the league.

However, it was done solely with the idea of acquiring draft capital. Nico Harrison, the former General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks, swapped Davis with Dončić, which proved he believed they were of similar value.

You can argue for either trade being worse, or even one that wasn’t mentioned, but at least the Clippers didn’t trade away their superstar in the midst of his prime.

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