In summary the author agreed with the decision to trade him but thought they could’ve gotten more. While the author was with the Mavs he had proposed a Luka for Tatum + picks trade for example.
- Luka plays a brand of basketball that generates raw numbers that overstate his impact. This has gotten better over the last few years but the Mavericks’ own internal models showed him as significantly overrated
- There are questions about Luka’s commitment to doing the things that lead to winning like getting back in transition, rotating on defense, boxing out, being conditioned etc. It appears these questions are much more serious than this sub thinks
- Luka requires very specific team construction to get the best out of him
- This trade would have never happened with Mark Cuban at the helm and Nico Harrison surrounded himself with “yes-men”
The most interesting part of the article imo is that the Mavs’ own internal models showed that Luka is overrated, this is especially notable since they have by far the most data on him.
![]()
The Luka Dončić Trade — My Perspective as an Ex-Mavericks Analytics Staffer Who Spent Two Years Pushing to Trade Him
Eight insights into the Luka-to-Lakers deal, plus a theory about what went wrong and a look into the futurewww.roycewebb.com
![]()
This is truly insane. Like I can't even fathom how so many folks were ultimately behind the decision that led to Luka getting traded. The planting of those seeds began long ago, and even a WCF run in 2022 and then a Finals run last season couldn't even stop the growth of that disease.
Lord have mercy.
You could get a handful of Coli Brehs and they would've had this franchise in a better state than it's now in (except for @staticshock because he would've traded Luka for Trae from the jump and they'd perpetually be a lottery team).
so you think dallas is winning it all? because they were just in the finals. even getting there again seems like stretchThis trade will go down as a win-win for both sides...
Possibly. I don't think either team has enough to win it this year, but with a fukk offseason to retool, I think both teams will put themselves in position to win it all in the coming 3 years or so. For Dallas, their window is only 3 years, if that. I think they understand that, given the age of their players, and will make the appropriate moves to enhance their roster quickly...so you think dallas is winning it all? because they were just in the finals. even getting there again seems like stretch
![]()
The Luka Dončić Trade — My Perspective as an Ex-Mavericks Analytics Staffer Who Spent Two Years Pushing to Trade Him
Eight insights into the Luka-to-Lakers deal, plus a theory about what went wrong and a look into the futurewww.roycewebb.com
![]()
This is truly insane. Like I can't even fathom how so many folks were ultimately behind the decision that led to Luka getting traded. The planting of those seeds began long ago, and even a WCF run in 2022 and then a Finals run last season couldn't even stop the growth of that disease.
Lord have mercy.
You could get a handful of Coli Brehs and they would've had this franchise in a better state than it's now in (except for @staticshock because he would've traded Luka for Trae from the jump and they'd perpetually be a lottery team).
Legitimately insane.Their internal models had him as overrated? So the on court success was just an arbitrary occurrence in their opinion? lmao
And that bit about team construction is just rubbish because no matter who your superstar is you have to build the roster to fit their strengths and or deficiencies
The Mavs internal thinking on this trade is very shaky