"Dallas struggled down the stretch due to injuries before winning Monday night’s draft lottery. Somewhere, Lakers fans are smiling, though. Nico Harrison did not even shop Luka. He decided he wanted Anthony Davis and only talked to his old friend Rob Pelinka in making the deal.”

The Mavericks brought in Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline to fill that exact role. And the fit was so seamless with Dončić that Dallas was jostling with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals just a few months later.

The Los Angeles Lakers' 2024-25 season concluded with a disappointing first-round playoff exit, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Despite entering the postseason as the No. 3 seed, the Lakers failed to capitalize on homecourt advantage.