[ClutchFans] How the stunning Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers impacts the Houston Rockets

Corrupt league propping up the Lakers.

Where's "basketball reasons" when it comes to the Lakers?

 

Lakers will be a 70 win team in 2 years.. This just the start of the bullshit to come..

 

Mavs owners didn't want to pay Luka $350 million and get stuck over the 2nd apron only to pay a massive luxury tax. Silver got another superstar in LA to boost ratings and the owners are packing the U-Haul for Vegas. I can't believe I'm saying this but I feel bad for Mavs fans.

 

I'm pretty sure "basketball reasons" was specifically to stop a trade that would've benefitted the lakers

 

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Yes, but we didn't get Gasol. But good point.

 

Longterm it absolutely helps the Lakers and makes the Mavs look like cheapskates and fools.

Shortterm, the Mavs do boost their playoff chances this season and maybe next year. But they're also counting on soon to be 33 Kyrie and soon to be 32 AD to stay healthy. Hell, Davis ain't even healthy NOW when they traded for him. After that, things start to go downhill very quickly for that team which of course benefits the Rockets given Dallas is a division rival and we control their 2029 pick.

 

OKC is still the team that concerns me the most moving forward

they can easily trade for another superstar to put next to Shai if they’re actually aware that one is available, and they’re super young

Lakers are also a threat now just because of the BS, but unless Luka commits to being in shape, it might not be all brisket and spare ribs for the Lakers moving forward…his fat ass has been coming into camp weighing over 260 lbs

Harden injured his hamstring and was never the same again…granted he wasn’t in his mid-20’s when that happened, but Luka is playing with fire carrying such a heavy load while being that fat

 

I can kinda understand Dallas not wanting to commit to a supermax deal for Luka if they truly believe his body is gonna break down in the years to come because he doesn't take care of himself.

But why not shop him and get a much better deal? They should've easily gotten 4 or 5 unprotected picks and swaps.

 

Clutch, you were up late last night talking about this live. Super late! So when did you have time to write this? It's well written. Either way, thanks for the piece and entertaining us last night.

 

Yes, they could have gotten more, but I do think AD and Kyrie is a pretty damn good win now duo if the former stays healthy. They need a better bench, though.

 

that’s what I can’t wrap my head around either

if their main issue with him was him being fat, I’m still taking the chance that he’ll eventually take his diet and conditioning seriously rather than get rid of him, especially when u just made the finals with him…if he was a Zion caliber player then sure, trade him, but he’s a top 3 player and 5x All-NBA 1st Team at the age of 25

I feel like he has to be a substance abuser as well or something, because being fat doesn’t justify this trade

 

I gotta think he's pregnant with Jeanie Buss's child

 

Picks are for rebuilders, top 10 players are for contenders. The Suns gave a million assets for KD who's much older than AD because they want to win now. If the Mavs still want to win now, they'd just turn around and use those picks to trade for an AD-like player anyway so why not skip a step. Though it's still inexcusable that they didn't get Reeves, Knecht, and the other Lakers 1st along with AD.

 

It's a maybe win right now duo. But their window is basically this season and next. No way would I be banking on AD and Kyrie as they hit their mid-30s.

 

Sad to say NBA GMs is a club of personal relationships.

Rafael needs to make more GM friends. Especially with teams that has a star you covet. Key is to be on that GM's speed dial.

Apparently, Pelinka and Harrison have been friends a long time. When shooting the breeze months ago, they started talking hypotheticals. Eventually led to this deal.

This was a 'golf course type of deal'. There's no rule a GM have to shop a player openly and evenly. Guess who else was on their speed dial to make the deal work; Ainge.

 

the former… the latter… I mean, Kylie hasn’t been a paragon of reliability either…

 

I’m not endorsing this necessarily, but Kyrie has a player option this summer. Is Kyrie happy with Dallas trading Luka?

If HOU traded Dillon Brooks for an expiring before the deadline and then don’t pick up FVV’s team option, we can get to close to max space.

Sign Kyrie as a FA this summer, at zero asset cost? Hmmm.

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/m...-far-the-best-offensive-player-ive-ever-seen/