logo
NBA Executives Believe Luka Doncic Deal Was A Gift To The Lakers — And Now They Will Pay The Price

NBA Executives Believe Luka Doncic Deal Was A Gift To The Lakers — And Now They Will Pay The Price

Yahoo3 days ago

NBA Executives Believe Luka Doncic Deal Was A Gift To The Lakers — And Now They Will Pay The Price originally appeared on Fadeaway World.
The Los Angeles Lakers' blockbuster acquisition of Luka Doncic sent shockwaves across the NBA, not just because of the sheer magnitude of the player involved, but because of how easy it seemed.
Advertisement
According to NBA insider Jake Weinbach, multiple league executives believe the Lakers were handed a 'gift' by the Dallas Mavericks when they traded for Doncic, and now, other teams around the league are prepared to make them pay for it.
The sentiment is growing among front offices: the Lakers didn't deserve to land a 26-year-old generational superstar like Luka, especially given their lack of assets.
And yet, they pulled it off, swapping Anthony Davis for Doncic in a deal that didn't even strip them of their limited draft capital. It was seen as a shocking coup, considering the Lakers had little leverage, minimal flexibility, and no clear long-term star plan with LeBron James turning 40 and Davis battling constant injury concerns.
Before the trade, Los Angeles was clinging to playoff hopes. Their defense was slowly coming together, their chemistry was improving, and there were signs they could go on a run but with LeBron aging and Davis' body unreliably fragile, the championship window felt like it was closing fast.
Advertisement
Austin Reaves was their best young asset, but he wasn't bringing back a superstar in any deal.
Then the Luka Doncic trade happened.
Suddenly, the Lakers had a generational offensive engine who's not only one of the top five players in the league but someone who hasn't even reached his true prime. He's 26, has already made multiple All-NBA First Teams, led a Finals run, and carried a franchise for years.
And now, he's in purple and gold, ready to headline the post-LeBron era in Hollywood.
What's left teams around the league furious isn't just the result, it's the process. Sources suggest that Dallas never seriously shopped Luka to other teams. There was no bidding war. No multi-team auction. No leveraging of suitors.
Advertisement
They quietly agreed to a deal with the Lakers, sending Davis to Dallas and receiving far less than what most teams would have given up for a player of Doncic's caliber. The sense across the league is clear: the Mavericks could have done so much better.
This, of course, fits a familiar narrative around the Lakers, one that stings other teams who've toiled for years trying to land a superstar. Magic Johnson was handed to them with the No. 1 pick while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was already on the roster.
Kobe Bryant was acquired from the Hornets in a lopsided draft-day deal. Shaquille O'Neal chose the Lakers in free agency. LeBron did the same.
And now, Luka.
Advertisement
But this time, executives are pushing back. The perception of the Doncic deal as a "gift" has left many teams vowing to drive a harder bargain. If the Lakers come calling for role players or stars this offseason, they may have to overpay.
The league isn't looking to hand the Lakers another golden ticket, not after they just got one without even asking.
Related: Luka Doncic Opens Up About The Struggles Of Leaving Home At 13 To Join Real Madrid
This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

We found cheap tickets for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches at MetLife
We found cheap tickets for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches at MetLife

New York Post

timean hour ago

  • New York Post

We found cheap tickets for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches at MetLife

Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. We're officially ready for some fútbol. Starting Saturday, June 14, the international 32-team FIFA Club World Cup lands at huge venues all over North America for 63 high-octane matches that run until July 13 when the Finals go down at East Rutherford, NJ's MetLife Stadium. Prior to that championship showdown, eight big games are scheduled to take place at the Jets and Giants' home field. The first five matches will be between a hodgepodge of clubs from all over the world. They are Brazil's SE Palmeiras, Portugal's FC Porto, Brazil's Fluminese FC, Germany's Borussia Dortmund, Egypt's Al-Ahly FC and South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai FC. Their contests are part of the opening round where eight groups of four teams play their opponents once. Whoever finishes with the two best records advance to the round of 16. After that, every game will be a do or die elimination all the way to the Final. '[FC Porto will] be heavy favorites in this group, but don't feel insurmountable in the way PSG and Atleti do,' MLS Soccer reports. They also shared that 'Palmeiras have been the most successful team in Brazil – by a nose over Flamengo – over the past decade. They're integrating a ton of new faces (they sell more than Botafogo), including old friends Facundo Torres from Orlando and Micael from Houston.' Given the hype surrounding the multinational competition, last-minute tickets are surprisingly cheap. At the time of publication, our team found seats for first-round MetLife matches going for as low as $26 including fees on Vivid Seats. Finals tickets start at $663 including fees. Not bad for watching world class soccer live in the Meadowlands. For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the 2025 FIFA Club World Club below. All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation. FIFA Club World Cup MetLife 2025 tickets All FIFA Club World Cup MetLife match teams, dates, start times and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found here: FIFA Club World Cup MetLife 2025 dates Ticket prices start at SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto Sunday, June 15 at 6 p.m. $46 (including fees) Fluminese FC vs. Borussia Dortmund Tuesday, June 17 at 12 p.m. $39 (including fees) SE Palmeiras vs. Al-Ahly FC Thursday, June 19 at 12 p.m. $55 (including fees) Fluminese FC vs. Ulsan Hyundai FC Saturday, June 21 at 6 p.m. $26 (including fees) FC Porto vs. Al-Ahly FC Monday, June 23 at 9 p.m. $33 (including fees) Quarterfinal match Saturday, July 5 at 4 p.m. $226 (including fees) Semifinal match Tuesday, July 8 at 3 p.m. $308 (including fees) Semifinal match Wednesday, July 9 at 3 p.m. $321 (including fees) Final match Sunday, July 13 at 3 p.m. $663 (including fees) (Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn't noted, will include additional fees at checkout.) Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here. FIFA Club World Cup 2025 tickets In total, 12 U.S. cities are hosting FIFA Club World Cup matches this summer. If you want to see contests in parts of the country other than Jersey, here's where they'll be these next four weeks. FIFA Club World Cup teams As noted above, 32 teams (including three from the United States' MLS) are competing in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. To give you a better idea of who's playing, here's who's in each of the eight divisions: FIFA Club World Cup groups Group A SE Palmeiras (Brazil) FC Porto (Portugal) Al-Ahly FC (Egypt) Inter Miami CF (United States) Group B Paris Saint-Germain (France) Atlético de Madrid (Spain) Botafogo (Brazil) Seattle Sounders (United States) Group C FC Bayern Munich (Germany) Auckland City FC (New Zealand) CA Boca Juniors (Argentina) SL Benefica (Portugal) Group D CK Flamengo (Brazil) Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) Chelsea FC (England) Los Angeles Football Club (United States) Group E CA River Plate (Argentina) Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) CF Monterey (Mexico) FC Internazionale Milano (Italy) Group F Fluminese FC (Brazil) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Ulsan Hyundai (Korea) Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa) Group G Manchester City (England) Wydad AC (Morocco) Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates) Juventus FC (Italy) Group H Real Madrid C.F. (Spain) Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) CF Pachuca (Mexico) FC Salzburg (Austria) Huge artists on tour in 2025 Hoping to catch a concert or three this year, too? If so, here are just five iconic acts we can't wait to see live these next few months. • System of a Down • My Chemical Romance • Oasis • Coldplay • Wu-Tang Clan Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of all the biggest artists on tour in 2025 to find the show for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change

Former Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins apologizes after brawl with Puerto Rico fans
Former Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins apologizes after brawl with Puerto Rico fans

CBS News

timean hour ago

  • CBS News

Former Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins apologizes after brawl with Puerto Rico fans

Former NBA All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins was suspended for the rest of the season in Puerto Rico's basketball league and his team terminated his contract after a brawl with fans during a game earlier this week. The 34-year-old Cousins, who played for seven teams during his NBA career, made an obscene gesture, exchanged words and grabbed the arm of a fan sitting courtside Monday night before being taken away by his teammates. Cousins received a second technical foul for his actions and was ejected. In the tunnel heading to the locker room, he argued with another fan while people in the stands threw liquids toward him. Cousins received a $4,250 fine and could face an additional one of $5,750, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league announced late Tuesday. "As an organization, we strongly condemn any form of violence or provocation, whether on or off the field. Safety, respect, and sportsmanship are non-negotiable values for this franchise," the Mets said in a news release. It was Cousins' second season playing in Puerto Rico. He was averaging 18.2 points per game with nine rebounds for a team that has a 9-18 record. In his previous stint with the Mets in the 2023 season, Cousins helped the team reach the semifinals. In the NBA, Cousins averaged 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds over 11 seasons. The four-time All-Star's best season came with Sacramento in 2016-17, when he averaged 27.8 points. After the NBA, besides his stop in Puerto Rico, Cousins also played in the Taiwan and Mongolia basketball leagues.

Pacers Plan for Myles Turner Reportedly Revealed
Pacers Plan for Myles Turner Reportedly Revealed

Newsweek

time4 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Pacers Plan for Myles Turner Reportedly Revealed

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Indiana Pacers are just two wins away from winning an NBA title. Myles Turner is one of the big reasons why they are in the NBA Finals in the first place. Turner is someone who has had his name in trade rumors for each of the last few years. It seems like for each of the last five years or so that he has been in rumors. It's clear that Turner is someone who is valued across the NBA. If so many other teams want him, maybe the Pacers should try to keep him long-term. Read more: Lakers Legend Magic Johnson Delivers Powerful Message to Luka Doncic Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers reacts against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals. Turner will be a free agent for the first time... Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers reacts against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals. Turner will be a free agent for the first time this offseason. More Photo byTurner is going to be a free agent for the first time in his career this summer. He is likely going to be the top free-agent center available this summer, and the Pacers know it. In order to keep him, the Pacers will need to pay into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years. It sounds like that is the plan once the offseason hits. "The Indiana Pacers know they need to have Myles Turner back. They can't afford to lose him."@ShamsCharania says the Pacers are "prepared and expecting to pay the luxury tax" to keep Myles Turner 💰 — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 12, 2025 Turner is the longest-tenured Pacers player on the roster. He has been there for ten years and has seen a lot of iterations of this team. This is the first time that he is playing in the NBA Finals. While his offensive production hasn't been great so far, his defense has been solid. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has said that Turner is dealing with an illness, which could explain why he hasn't been able to hit the number of shots that he normally does. Keeping Turner for the foreseeable future is a priority for the Pacers. He fits how the team plays perfectly because of his ability to hit threes and block shots in the paint. The Pacers have already proven that this current core can compete for a championship. Keeping them together for as long as possible is what the organization should do, even if paying the luxury tax is the only way to do it. Turner is going to command a decent amount of money, as he should. He is the best center on the market and is hitting the market at the perfect time. The rest of the starting lineup is locked up for quite a few years, so they just need to do the same for Turner. If they do that, they will be a hard team to beat. More NBA on Newsweek: Knicks' Coaching Search Receives Harsh Criticism From NBA Insider

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store