The optics of trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers look bad enough.
The reality is even worse in early March as the NBA playoffs approach.
As the Lakers rise in the Western Conference standings (tied for second) and their legitimate ability to win the conference comes into focus, the Mavericks’ fall in the standings is being compounded by injury after injury.
Kyrie Irving is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee, an injury sustained in Dallas’ 122-98 loss to Sacramento on Monday.
Anthony Davis is out – has been since the third quarter of his very first game in a Dallas uniform. So are Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin. Irving was the one player providing elite performances and keeping the Mavs in the postseason race.
Injuries are part of the game. But Irving’s injury all but assures the Mavericks will not be making a consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals – a spot where they shone just a year ago, thanks in large part to Doncic. It wasn’t looking good before Irving’s injury – and yes, there is a trend of different teams reaching the Finals since Golden State last did it in 2018-19 – but Irving’s injury removes an All-Star from the lineup for the team’s final 20 games.
Irving, a nine-time All-Star, was amid another stellar season, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals and was shooting 47.3% from the field, 40.1% on 3-pointers and 91.6% on free throws.
This also puts Irving’s 2025-26 season in jeopardy. Recovering from a torn ACL is a time-consuming and grueling process, and Irving turns 33 on March 23. Denver’s Jamal Murray tore his ACL late in the 2020-21 season and missed the entire 2021-22 season.
Even if Davis returns – and he is scheduled for a re-evaluation of his strained left adductor soon – the Mavericks are clinging to a play-in spot. They are in 10th place, one game behind the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento and Minnesota, 1½ games behind Golden State and 3½ games ahead of Phoenix. If the Suns have it in them – and not sure they do – they could make a run at the Mavericks and keep them out of the postseason.
While nothing is easy in the West, Dallas’ troubles give the Clippers, Kings, Timberwolves and Warriors minor relief and a softer path to the postseason.
The Lakers’ rise makes the situation worse for Dallas, which already has an angry and frustrated fanbase after Doncic was traded. Regardless of how the Mavericks’ season impacts other teams, how they perform is measured against what the Lakers and Doncic are doing.
And so far, the Lakers are winning. A lot.
Less than two months ago, the Lakers were 20-17 and in seventh place but also just two games ahead of 11th-place Golden State and Phoenix. They were just a couple of losses from falling out of the play-in game spots.
Since then, the Lakers are 18-4, including 10-2 since the Doncic trade and 6-2 with Doncic in the lineup. In his eight games for the Lakers, Doncic has averaged 22.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists as he works his way back from a left calf injury that sidelined him from Dec. 25 to Feb.10. He scored 31 and 29 points, respectively, in victories against the Clippers on Friday and Sunday.
The 26-year-old Doncic has given the old dog LeBron James, 40, a reinvigorated disposition. Since the trade, James is averaging 27.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and is shooting 54.1% from the field and 42.9% on 3-pointers.
Missing the postseason might not be Dallas’ worst-case scenario. That would be the Lakers finishing with the No. 2 seed and the Mavs getting the No. 7 seed, setting up a first-round playoff showdown and giving Doncic a chance to torch his former team.
Even if you agree with Mavericks president of basketball operations/general manger Nico Harrison and his long-term belief that the Mavericks can’t win a title with Doncic, the short-term results are painful for the team and its fans.
And that pain is only getting worse.
Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt