© Harry How/Getty ImagesDraymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to his three pointer during the first half against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome
Amid a tumultuous week in the NBA following the unexpected trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers, which involved star players Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic, analysts and figures from around the league have been vocal about the implications of the move. One such voice is Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who didn’t hesitate to point out which team he believes gained the most from the transaction.
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“In the interim right now today, Anthony Davis, Dallas,” Green stated on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis. “The reason I say this is because that’s a made team,” he noted. “As of right now, as it stands today, you lace them up, you go out there and play tomorrow, it’s Dallas.”
Draymond made it clear that, despite losing their best player, the Mavericks remain an established team capable of competing this season. With elite guard Kyrie Irving still in the fold and now adding one of the NBA’s top big men in Davis, Dallas is in a strong position.
On the other hand, Green believes the Lakers will face significant challenges. “You got Luka if you’re the Lakers, but now you don’t have a Big. You don’t have a starting-caliber center. I think for them now, they have to figure out how to build a team,” he remarked.
“You got Bron (LeBron James), you got Luka, you got Austin Reaves, but now you gotta like figure out how to build a team out,” Green added. “They need to, at some point, get a Big.”
Luka Doncic (C) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds his new jersey while standing alongside general manager Rob Pelinka (L) and head coach JJ Redick.
Draymond Green analyzes the Lakers’ decision
Trying to understand why the Los Angeles Lakers decided to trade Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, Draymond Green offered his analysis. “I don’t think this was a move that the Lakers were making to say we’re betting on right now,” he said. “I think what the Lakers thought was, ‘This team ain’t great, we’re not winning a championship.’”
Following that line of reasoning, Green continued, “’We got a chance to get Luka Doncic? This gives us a chance to possibly sign a couple of guys and compete right now with Luka and LeBron. But it also gives us a chance to compete,’” he explained, referring to the Lakers’ potential future with the young superstar.
Davis and Doncic await their debuts
Despite all the anticipation surrounding the trade, both Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis have yet to make their debuts with their new teams due to ongoing physical issues.
Davis, who suffered an abdominal muscle strain while still with the Lakers, hopes to return soon for his Dallas debut. “If not Thursday, then more than likely Saturday at home,” he said in an interview with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. This means that Davis’ first game with the Mavericks could come against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, or, if not, against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Doncic, on the other hand, has been sidelined for over a month with a calf strain. However, he is now in the final stages of his recovery, and Dallas expected him to return this week. With the chaos surrounding his trade and arrival in Los Angeles, that timeline could be extended slightly. It remains uncertain whether Luka will be able to play in the Lakers’ upcoming games against the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers, or if he will make his debut in next Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz.
