Are you sure Doncic is much better than Anthony Davis?

[Walk on Water]

Sure, Davis is older than Luca. But why we are acting like Anthony Davis is some slouch when in reality he is an all time great big. He's Anthony fricken Davis. Look back at all the hype Davis got when he was drafted. How did we get here?

Davis is averaging 25.7 points and Luca is averaging 28, but Davis shoots a higher field goal percentage. He is also averaging about 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. Some say Davis is perhaps the best defensive player in the league, while Doncic doesn't really play defense. That alone should cancel each other out.

Yes, Doncic brought the Mavs to the finals once, but AD carried Lebron in the bubble finals. I don't see where Doncic dominates over AD. On top of that, he is struggling with a calf injury and has conditioning issues. He is a James Harden. Not a good fit. Dallas wins this trade.

You know Lebron is gonna try to put the blame on Luca when they can't win. Lebron is not going to let Luca be the #1 man on his team, even though he should do that.

[RRR3]

Meltdown :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Walk on Water]

Meltdown :roll: :roll: :roll:


No!!!! Are you melting?? :lebroncry:

[warriorfan]

Sure, Davis is older than Luca. But why we are acting like Anthony Davis is some slouch when in reality he is an all time great big. He's Anthony fricken Davis. Look back at all the hype Davis got when he was drafted. How did we get here?

Davis is averaging 25.7 points and Luca is averaging 28, but Davis shoots a higher field goal percentage. He is also averaging about 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. Some say Davis is perhaps the best defensive player in the league, while Doncic doesn't really play defense. That alone should cancel each other out.

Yes, Doncic brought the Mavs to the finals once, but AD carried Lebron in the bubble finals. I don't see where Doncic dominates over AD. On top of that, he is struggling with a calf injury and has conditioning issues. He is a James Harden. Not a good fit. Dallas wins this trade.

You know Lebron is gonna try to put the blame on Luca when they can't win. Lebron is not going to let Luca be the #1 man on his team, even though he should do that.

No AD, no “*success” in the west for lebron.

*Bubble ring is not considered real success

[Neal Romer]

Is he better than AD? Of course.

Is he better than current Lebron? Lets not be absurd.

[John8204]

Yes...you've dumped a 25 year old you didn't want to commit to till he's 30 because of health...and picked up Street Clothes McGee who looks like a baby giraffe at the end of every season.

[beasted]

I think the reason most are upset is not just this season's projection. Is healthy Davis better than overweight and injured Luka? Yes.

But, sure, if we're very short term focused, Davis may be able to lift the Mavs in the standings to close this season in comparison to Luka's unavailability.

[John8204]

I think the reason most are upset is not just this season's projection. Is healthy Davis better than overweight and injured Luka? Yes.

But, sure, if we're very short term focused, Davis may be able to lift the Mavs in the standings to close this season in comparison to Luka's unavailability.

Also and this is important to mention...Luka carried your team to the finals 8 months ago, and now you are hoping AD can carry your team to the finals.

[tontoz]

AD only won 1 playoff series in his career before joining Lebron.

[ArbitraryWater]

Im sure

[3ba11]

AD needs someone to get him the ball, so he isn't as good a floor-raiser, which means nothing because it's easy for a GM to get an average cast that is above the "floor"... Accordingly, when you give both AD and Luka a good teammate, AD's team ceiling annihilates Luka's... Specifically, when we give AD someone to get him the ball, and you give Luka someone to pass to like Porzingas, Brunson, or Kyrie, AD's team ceiling is championship, while Luka's hasn't been anywhere near that in 7 seasons - he's built nothing in 7 seasons, while AD led the league in playoff scoring while winning a title and dominating Jokic.

AD is the better player because the entire ball-dominant skillset is drastically overrated - it's actually the worst skillset when we compare to bigs and jumpshooters.. By turning everyone into spot-up shooter, ball-dominators prevent elite roster construction, so they can't be 1st option for the best basketball (dynasty or dominant champion).

[Mask the Embiid]

We are truly going to see who the better player is......Thats whats good about this trade. Both teams are = on paper


May the better man win


Lakers were 5th seed before they got Luka and the mavs were the 9th seed before they got AD.


Lets see where the chips fall.



I think both teams got worse

[SouBeachTalents]

AD needs someone to get him the ball, so he isn't as good a floor-raiser, which means nothing because it's easy for a GM to get an average cast that is above the "floor"... Accordingly, when you give both AD and Luka a good teammate, AD's team ceiling annihilates Luka's... Specifically, when we give AD someone to get him the ball, and you give Luka someone to pass to like Porzingas, Brunson, or Kyrie, AD's team ceiling is championship, while Luka's hasn't been anywhere near that in 7 seasons - he's built nothing in 7 seasons, while AD led the league in playoff scoring while winning a title and dominating Jokic.

AD is the better player because the entire ball-dominant skillset is drastically overrated - it's actually the worst skillset when we compare to bigs and jumpshooters.. By turning everyone into spot-up shooter, ball-dominators prevent elite roster construction, so they can't be 1st option for the best basketball (dynasty or dominant champion).
Luka actually made the Finals last year, look it up when you take a break shuffling through your autistic word documents.

[90sgoat]

AD can have similar impact to Luka in his best games, but he hasn't done it consistently. Most of his career games he is an elite role player.

[tpols]

Luka actually made the Finals last year, look it up when you take a break shuffling through your autistic word documents.

Yea and AD already won a title with superstar production. You fellas are in for a rude awakening with Luka in LA.

[StrongLurk]

I do find it strange that people are acting like AD isn't a top 10 player and an elite 2-way player. He's like a single tier beneath Luka, but depending on team makeup, he could be just as valuable as Luka.

Of course this is only the short term, clearly Luka should have way more value long term (i.e. next 5 years).

[SouBeachTalents]

Yea and AD already won a title with superstar production. You fellas are in for a rude awakening with Luka in LA.
What does that have to do with 3ball's moronic take that Luka "hasn't been anywhere near" a championship :lol

[SouBeachTalents]

I do find it strange that people are acting like AD isn't a top 10 player and an elite 2-way player. He's like a single tier beneath Luka, but depending on team makeup, he could be just as valuable as Luka.

Of course this is only the short term, clearly Luka should have way more value long term (i.e. next 5 years).
Nobody is acting like this :lol The trade is getting ripped because AD is 6 years older and is injury prone, and it's pretty remarkable the Mavs weren't able to get more for a top 5 player who's only 25.

[tpols]

All I'm saying is let's see if Luka + Lebron can do what AD + Lebron did.

Lebrons coming off a monster triple double vs thibs defense nonetheless two days ago. He's still got a little something in the tank.

[StrongLurk]

Nobody is acting like this :lol The trade is getting ripped because AD is 6 years older and is injury prone, and it's pretty remarkable the Mavs weren't able to get more for a top 5 player who's only 25.

Either way, the Lakers as currently structured are terrible and they have limited pieces to move as well. Lakers completely punted this season if nothing changes, but you cant blame them at all.

I am very curious what happens to Lebron in all of this.

[SouBeachTalents]

Either way, the Lakers as currently structured are terrible and they have limited pieces to move as well. Lakers completely punted this season if nothing changes, but you cant blame them at all.

I am very curious what happens to Lebron in all of this.
This is clearly a long term move, as LeBron & Luka are seemingly a bad fit. All moves inherit some form of risk, but you have the opportunity to claim a guy like Luka just entering the heart of his prime, you take that in an instant, esp when you're giving up so little in return for a player of that caliber.

[Kblaze8855]

Far as I’ve seen he hasn’t played better right now. As in this season. But it’s about like if you traded 96 Shaq for 96 Karl Malone. You could argue Karl had a better season than 96 Shaq and he even had a better next couple seasons when he was MVP caliber while Shaq was hurt. But the ages and potential make it a head scratcher.

The Lakers wouldn’t have been appreciably worse if they had Malone from 96 to 99. They might even have been better considering he never missed games. But they wouldn’t have had the dynasty when Shaq peaked.

Thats the concern.

Luka should be Luka or get better for a long time. AD is a great player but there’s little reason to assume he’s getting better.

You have a window with AD but if Luka is lucky and stays in shape his window is barely open yet.

[Phoenix]

All I'm saying is let's see if Luka + Lebron can do what AD + Lebron did.

Lebrons coming off a monster triple double vs thibs defense nonetheless two days ago. He's still got a little something in the tank.

I don't think that duo ( as of right now) will be any more successful than the best you saw from Lebron and AD, but that's not because AD is equal to or better than Luka, it's because AD's skillset fits better with Lebron's so the results should bear that out. I think Luka is a better 1st option than AD to carry a team offensively( in the same way Dirk was vs someone like KG), but needs different things to be successful. Luka needs 3 and D defenders and defensive bigs to maximize what he does and cover for what he doesn't, not an older version of himself stylistically. The best way to get anything out of this duo would be to completely hand the reins to Luka and have Lebron play the utility man role, like a super Pippen.

Overall, this move was to give the Lakers an anchor point to build around for the next 8-10 years, a fully realized MVP level player at the start of his prime who may be able to attract some decent FAs. The Lakers are trying to avoid a dead period like they experienced between Kobe's last years and when Lebron came on-board.

[tpols]

Didn't Karl Malone literally spank Shaq in the late 90s playoffs? If the trade turns out like that, Dallas is set.

[RogueBorg]

I can't wait to watch Lebron, Luka, and Reeves playing defense together. It's must-see TV.

[3ba11]

Luka actually made the Finals last year, look it up when you take a break shuffling through your autistic word documents.


MJ had already built the goat team by the time he got to Luka's current place (Year 7).

Contrastingly, Luka has built nothing by Year 7, despite having 3 times the all-star teammates and 2 guys with All-NBA resumes as well (Brunson, Kyrie, Porzingas).

And we know exactly why ball-dominators like Luka cannot build anything... By turning everyone into spot-up shooter, ball-dominators prevent elite roster construction, so they can't be 1st option for the best basketball (dynasty or dominant champion), while also producing low-assist teams that make it harder to win titles in general.

[Kblaze8855]

Didn't Karl Malone literally spank Shaq in the late 90s playoffs? If the trade turns out like that, Dallas is set.

Karl outplayed Shaq in 97 but not really in 98. Karl just had a team of veterans who knew how to win and Shaq was playing with young guys. They had some games in 98 modern fans would say was barely basketball. Rough ass play. Both doing numbers. Karl didn’t outplay him as much as the Jazz beat the Lakers.

[tpols]

I keep forgetting that Luka played with Brunson.

Dude has actually played with a ton of help in Dallas and people act like he's a 1 man army. That is his style though.

[lilteapot]

Right now Luka is better, all-time AD clears and it's not particularly close