The surprising trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers was undoubtedly one of the most important in the NBA in the last decade. The Dallas Mavericks unexpectedly parted ways with the Slovenian, one of the best players in the league, sending him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick in a move that shocked the basketball world.
Negotiations between the Mavs and Lakers, as later transpired after the trade was made official, were carried out in absolute secrecy in the weeks leading up to the February trade. Neither LeBron James nor Anthony Davis, who was directly involved, were aware of what was going on. But the Lakers were not the only team interested in acquiring the Slovenian star.
Bulls willing to mortgage their future for Luka
The super offer that another NBA team, the Bulls, were willing to make to the Mavericks to try to acquire Luka Doncic has come to light. “A source told the Sun-Times that Arturas Karnisovas [former Barcelona player and Chicago’s executive vice president] and his management would have offered any of their players if the Mavericks had notified them that Doncic was available in February,” journalist Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported
A source told the Sun-Times that Arturas Karnisovas [former Barcelona player and Chicago’s executive vice president] and his management would have offered anyone on their roster if the Mavs had notified them that Doncic was available in February
The Bulls have been looking for a superstar for years, and Luka Doncic would have been the perfect choice. As a young and promising player with an unrelenting will to win, his arrival could have ushered in a new era for the Bulls and their return to the forefront of the league after years of mediocrity. Unfortunately for them, the Mavs were clear that Anthony Davis was their priority target to strengthen their roster and did not explore other avenues.
Despite having led them to the NBA Finals in 2024, the Mavs turned against Doncic. Their executives lost faith in his leadership and commitment to basketball. And their general manager Nico Harrison already had in mind what he considered the ideal deal for his team with the arrival of Anthony Davis (32), Max Christie and a future first-round pick.
A historic trade package
It has now emerged that the Bulls were willing to “offer anything” and even mortgage the future of their franchise in order to build a new project around the Slovenian player, which would have put them back on the NBA map. They were ready to give up their best assets to form a potential historic package that would have included Coby White, Matas Buzelis, Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball, four first-round picks and three pick swaps.
The deal would have added depth to the roster and restored the Mavericks’ draft capital, while the Bulls could have started from scratch with a new face and identity for the future. But Nico Harrison was very clear that the deal he felt was most beneficial to his franchise and did not even put Doncic in the showcase to start an auction that would have been crazy. Much to the chagrin of the Bulls, who are still lamenting that missed opportunity.
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