It's been months since the trade that shook the entire NBA community, and some feel that the pressure is on Anthony Davis to prove that he's worthy of being traded for Luka Doncic. According to Rich Paul, however, the responsibility isn't on the players to validate the trade; it's on the teams to follow up on the deal by building a proper championship roster.
"That's not on the players. Those guys can go out and score 30 and 40, and 50. It's the race of the front office, right? Who is going to make the proper moves for those guys to be successful? As much as you want to lean on how great an individual was or is, you also have to factor in the decision-makers to help place the proper pieces around them," said Rich Paul on the 'Haynes Briefs Show.' "Yeah, we can always have the conversations about the top players, but you always have to look into what takes place. I'm watching with my popcorn, they have nine other steps."
Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison met in secret to continue the ongoing negotiations on a trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. When the deal was finalized, everybody was in for a shock as the entire NBA hierarchy changed overnight.
In Dallas, especially, fans and critics have been pressuring Davis to validate the trade by outperforming Luka on the court. To his credit, Davis put up a respectable effort in nine games for the Mavericks this season, posting averages of 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 46.1% shooting. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to match Luka's numbers and failed to get them to the playoffs.
With both the Mavericks and the Lakers now eliminated from title contention, both teams can shift their focus to next season and beyond, which is when the real fight begins. Unlike at the deadline, both teams will have the time, resources, and opportunity to remake the roster around their new stars, but the options are somewhat limited.
For the Mavericks, they are already locked into a big three of Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. With their core set and secured, they are likely to make some adjustments to the supporting cast, and they have a few areas of need.
If Nico Harrison is smart, he'll use whatever resources he has left to add a consistent point guard to the roster, who can run the offense and generate open looks in the absence of Kyrie Irving. Starved of bench depth, Dallas also needs some role players who can consistently contribute and support the main cast.
For the Lakers, Rob Pelinka has his work cut out for him after being eliminated in round one, but he doesn't believe his team is far off from a title. With LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, Los Angeles has a trusted core, and all they need is a center to add some versatility to the frontcourt.
This summer, with so much at stake, the Lakers and Mavericks will be just two of the many teams trying to upgrade their roster. Unlike the others, however, they are under immense pressure to find a formula that works, or they might risk having some regrets over this season's blockbuster trade.
