NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Stunning Deals That Mavericks COULD HAVE Made For Luka Doncic

While the Dallas Mavericks continue to reel from the consequences of their shocking trade of superstar Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers in February, insiders around the sport continue to be flabbergasted at just what Dallas did—and didn't do.

What we know that what they didn't do, was canvas the entire league for other offers. In fact, Mavs GM Nico Harrison insists he only called the Lakers.

We are hearing from ESPN's Bobby Marks now, on the massive trade returns they could have gotten, if they had offered the superstar to the other 28 teams. Here are the top two potential deals, per Marks:

Hypothetic Deal #1

What the Cleveland Cavaliers could have offered:

Darius Garland
Jarrett Allen
2031 unprotected first-round pick

Two All-Star type players, plus an elite unprotected first-rounder easily beats the Lakers' return of a perennially injured Anthony Davis, Max Christie and an unprotected 2029 first-rounder.

And for Cleveland? Imagine what a Luka-Donovan Mitchell backcourt could do.

Hypothetic Deal #2

What the Houston Rockets could have offered:

Dillon Brooks
Reed Sheppard
Jabari Smith Jr.
2025 unprotected first-round pick (via Phoenix)
2027 unprotected first-round pick (via Phoenix)

Houston is loaded with picks and prospects, and would have been in an ideal position to give up this type of boatload of talent to Dallas for Luka.

Even after giving up those two first-rounders, they'd still have five more tradeable firsts in their kitty, says Marks. And although Sheppard and Smith Jr. are both recent No. 3 overall picks with a ton of upside, the Rockets would still be able to field a star starting lineup, with Luka joining Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet.

Other exciting packages that could have been made, per Marks, include:

Hypothetic Deal #3

What the Charlotte Hornets could have offered:

LaMelo Ball
Mark Williams
2027 first-round pick
2027 top-14 protected first-round pick (via Charlotte; unprotected in 2028 if not conveyed)

Hypothetic Deal #4

What the Golden State Warriors could have offered:

Andrew Wiggins (since traded to Miami in the Jimmy Butler deal)
Jonathan Kuminga
Brandin Podziemski
Gary Payton II
2025 unprotected first-round pick
2026 first-round pick swap
2027 unprotected first-round pick
2030 first-round pick (if 1-20)

This sounds like an insane haul, and Marks may have gotten a little too giddy on this one. But just the thought of Steph Curry and Luka in the same backcourt boggles the mind.

The Warriors, to be sure, are pretty happy with their Butler deal, seeing as they are 22-5 with him in the lineup, and a viable title contender once again.

Hypothetic Deal #5

What the Boston Celtics could have offered:

Jaylen Brown
2027 unprotected first-round pick
2031 unprotected first-round pick

Even though they'd be trading the NBA Finals MVP that helped lead them to a championship last season, this would be pretty tempting for the Celtics, wouldn't it? Pairing up Luka & Jayson Tatum for the foreseeable future?

And even with the trade the Mavericks did settle for from the Lakers, Marks's fellow ESPN insider Brian Windhorst feels it was "malpractice" that the Mavericks didn't insist on Austin Reaves in that deal.

Brian Windhorst goes off on Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks

“Mavericks not getting Austin Reaves in that trade is MALPRACTICE.”

(🎥 @FirstTake / h/t @LakeShowScoop )

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 7, 2025