Luka Darabia – Anthony Davis: What place in the history of transfers? • USA basketball

Luka Darabia – Anthony Davis: What place in the history of transfers? • USA basketball


Luka Doncic against Anthony Davis« The most shocking transfer in the history of the NBA, in all its history, and one of the most shocking moments in the history of sport For journalist Zach Lowe, who took over his podcasts as he did for ESPN for many years. “” Incomprehensible “Title his former employer in an article which evokes the underside of the case, citing the words of a leader of a franchise in the West.

The exchange concluded between the Mavericks and the Lakers which sends Luka Doncic in Los Angeles against Anthony Davis (among others) generated a shock wave like rarely in the NBA.

With just over 48 hours of hindsight, classify this “Blockbuster Trade” in the historic (however well supplied) of the League is still complex. Some concrete elements help see a little more clearly.

A transfer of parties partly unprecedented

It is not usurped to consider this transfer as unprecedented in 78 seasons of existence of the NBA. This is at least true on a point. Never, before this Davisic exchange-Davis, two players were transferred to each other during the season after being appointed to an all-nba team during the previous exercise mentioned the Elias Sports Bureau, specialized in Sport statistics and data.

Transfers between stars are a rare commodity in the history of the NBA. Those between the superstars are almost nonexistent, which still reinforced the conviction of the majority of the big names of the league that a certain number of privileged are “untouchable”. Or at least were …

Another specialist in the stats, Todd Whitehead had fun classifying exchanges between two superstars according to the “Win Shares”, the number of theoretical victories that a player brought back to his team during a season. Last year, Luka Donteic alone reportedly reportedly, 12 victories at the Mavericks, while Anthony Davis reported 11.8 and it was therefore by taking the lowest figure of the two that the classification is established.

In this little game, the transfer of Luka Da: Anthony Davis is ahead of the one between Chauncey Billups (13.5) and Allen Iverson (11.6) in 2008 or that between Charles Barkley (12.3) and Jeff Hornacek (11.6) in 1992.

MVP candidates exchanged? Rare, and often older

But like the Deal Billups – Iverson, the few transfers between major actors in the NBA concerns primarily first -rate players, of course, but above all aging. Not a Luka Daceic, 26 years old at the end of the month, which remains on five all-nba First Team consecutive. Seeing the Mavericks separate from their Slovenian jewel against Anthony Davis, almost automatic All-Star each season, but 31 years old, is perhaps what is most challenged.

To find the trace of a player as young and so brilliant being exchanged by his franchise, you have to go up a few chapters in the history of the NBA. Luka Doncic became the ninth player to be exchanged by his franchise just after having finished on the podium of the vote for the MVP. But “Luka Magic” is almost an anomaly in this list, long dominated by interiors like Wilt Chamberlain from San Francisco in Philadelphia in 1965 or Moses Malone, MVP out in 1982 traded by Houston in Philadelphia.

The list of TOP 3 players of your MVP exchanged the following season

  • George Yardley, 3rd in the MVP vote in 1957-1958 with Detroit, sent to Syracuse on February 13, 1959
  • Wilt Chamberlain, 2nd of the MVP vote in 1963-64 with San Francisco, sent to Philadelphia on January 15, 1965
  • Lenny Wilkens, 2nd of the MVP vote in 1967-1968 with Atlanta, sent on October 12, 1968 to Seattle
  • Bob McAdoo, 2nd of the MVP vote in 1975-1976 with Buffalo, sent on December 9, 1976 to New York
  • Moses Malone, MVP 1981-1982 with Houston, sent on September 15, 1982 to Philadelphia
  • LeBron James, MVP 2009-2010 with Cleveland, sent on July 10, 2010 to Miami
  • Paul George, 3rd in the MVP vote in 2018-2019 with Oklahoma City, sent on July 10, 2019 to the Clippers
  • James Harden, 3rd in the MVP vote in 2019-2020 with Houston, sent on January 16, 2021 to Brooklyn

Among these previous eight, only two were not older than Luka Doncic today: Bob McAdoo, 2nd of the MVP vote in 1975-1976 with Buffalo and sent to New York in December 1976 and … the new Slovenian teammate, LeBron James, technically sent by Cleveland to Miami in a “sign-And-trade” in 2010 just after being MVP. Even if the case of LeBron James and his “decision” were very different, because it was the choice of “King”.

The best comparison is therefore perhaps well to do with Bob McAdoo, which the Buffalo Braves exchanged before his contract arrives at an expiration, not having the money necessary to offer him the contract he wanted …

The exchange between Luka Donnon and Anthony Davis is still striking by her totally unforeseen character. In an ever more connected NBA, where the slightest rumor, the slightest result of MRI is posted on X/Twitter in the minute, no rumor had reported a possible start of the Mavs’ “Player”. Because when the superstars suit their suitcases, it is very often because they request them, therefore raise the auctions, or even transmit their list of preferential destinations before letting the franchises do the job.

Absolute radio silence then the earthquake

This time, only Nico Harrison, GM from Dallas and his Lakers Rob Pelinka counterpart led the negotiations. None of the players concerned were aware of what was walking behind the scenes.

ESPN also reveals that even Danny Ainge, who helped to allow this transfer with Utah as the third team, ignored that the participation of jazz was in an exchange around Luka Doncic until half an hour before its formalization. The surprise effect is total, the colossal shock wave.

For the Lakers, the blow is in any case smoking, with a new star in the rich history of “Purple & Gold”, the flagship destination of the stars, whether via the “Free Agency” or during the transfers. But even for Los Angeles, Luka Doncic is a separate case. Of the 14 players who joined the Lakers in their careers after having already been appointed at least once in an All-Nba First Team, none had arrived as young in their careers as the former Real Madrid. He dislodges… Anthony Davis, who had joined Hollywood at 26 years, 3 months and 27 days.

As for whether this exchange will remain as the most “striking” in history, it will have to resist the test of time, and in the future of Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis and their new respective teams.



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