Right after the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1, Mavs GM Nico Harrison has been under extreme scrutiny from Mavs fans and sports fans from across the globe. The Doncic trade was ultimately his plan, as he is the one who presented Rob Pelinka with the idea, and he has been under fire ever since.
Harrison had concerns with multiple parts of Doncic's game, including his conditioning, injuries, and complaining to the referees, and this trade was immediately coined the worst trade in NBA history right after it went down. Just as much as fans were shocked, so was the rest of the NBA, as they couldn't believe Harrison didn't shop Doncic to the entire league to try to get the best return package possible.
Harrison only went to the Lakers, and his decision to settle with Pelinka's package of Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick could end up hurting him even more than it already has heading into this summer.
The Luka Doncic trade fallout is still crippling the Mavericks
According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, "people around the NBA wonder how it would look if Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison engaged Pelinka and the Lakers on another trade after the last deal between the teams was so unpopular that it caused protests."
Harrison potentially receiving any more backlash after being saved by Cooper Flagg and the NBA Draft Lottery is likely the last thing that he and the Mavs want. Mavericks fans would likely be in an uproar if the Mavs and Lakers made another trade, regardless of whether the trade was fair for both sides, and another blockbuster trade between the two teams could cause a PR nightmare.
This thinking from around the NBA could keep Dallas and Los Angeles from making a trade that would work phenomenally for both sides this offseason, as the Mavericks have someone that Lakers fans want on their squad.
Considering the Lakers need a starting big badly, Daniel Gafford has been floated as a trade target for them for weeks. With Flagg coming in, it doesn't make a ton of sense for the Mavs to keep Gafford, and they could convince the Lakers to give them a first-round pick along with some solid role players in exchange for Gafford.
The Mavs could even explore making a trade for Austin Reaves this summer, as the Mavericks are searching for a Kyrie Irving replacement this summer as he recovers from his ACL tear, and the Lakers may not want to pay him next summer. Reaves would be the perfect player to replace Irving until he returns, but convincing the Lakers to trade him would be easier said than done.
Landing Reaves would likely take more than just Gafford, but never say never, as the 6-foot-10 paint beast is an extremely attractive trade target for any team in the league that needs frontcourt help, especially the Lakers.
Doncic's connection with Gafford is undeniable, as they were an elite pick-and-roll duo in Dallas, and both of them would be ecstatic to team up again for the Lakers. Doncic is at his absolute best when he is playing with a rim-rolling big, and one of the Lakers' top priorities this summer will certainly be adding a new center.
Time will tell if the Mavericks and Lakers make a trade, even with the backlash that Harrison is bound to receive, as this could end up being a potential move that both teams would like to make.