4 Luka Dončić blockbuster trade that will never happen

When Luka Dončić played for the Dallas Mavericks, it was assumed there was a realistic zero percent chance he would be traded. Last season, he was just 25 years old and had just led his team to the NBA Finals. While the defense was questionable, there was no doubt that the Slovenian star was one of the greatest offensive talents the NBA has ever seen, as evidenced by his long list of accomplishments and records. Even so, the Mavericks probably did most shocking decision ever and trades Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dealing with Dončić was seen as terrible decision right away, and hindsight only proved that to be true, especially since the Mavericks got an underwhelming package in return. All it took was an aging and injured Anthony Davis, Max Christie and just one first-round pick to acquire Doncic.

The trade showed that anything really is possible in the NBA, but fans may be even more confident now that Doncic won’t be traded in 2026. NBA trade deadline. Not only do the Lakers enjoy having Doncic on their roster, but they also saw firsthand the criticism the Mavericks received for a foolish trade that will forever affect their franchise. If the Lakers pulled a trick out of the Mavericks playbook and ended up trading Doncic for reasons that cannot be explained or justified, where could he be traded? Here are four unrealistic trade suggestions for Doncic.

Magic Reception: Luka Dončić

The Lakers get: Franz Wagner, Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva, first round pick 2032, three second round picks

The Orlando Magic made a huge trade in the offseason, throwing the game away four picks in the first round and a pick trade to bring in Desmond Bain. The move added a much-needed shot to Orlando’s rotation. It has also left them relatively thin when it comes to draft capital going forward. Their 2032 first-round pick is their only tradeable first-rounder, which makes trading Doncic nearly impossible, but the Lakers only needed one star and one first-round pick to trade Doncic last year.

Paolo Banchero burst onto the scene after the Magic drafted him with the first overall pick, but he’s actually been somewhat of a disappointment this year. Orlando didn’t take the expected step forward, and Banchero really struggled to shoot the long ball, leading some to even put Franz Wagner as the team’s best player rather than Banchero. That makes Wagner a valuable addition to this trade.

Wagner is averaging 22.2 points per game. Although Wagner’s shooting numbers are on the rise this season, he has been below 30% from deep in each of the previous two years. Swapping him can help Buncher get back into shape, as both demand the ball and prefer to cut. The Magic still need more shooting even after adding Bain. Doncic is, of course, one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. The Magic have enough defense to cover him, and he could be the missing piece that gets the team over the top.

The Magic would also have to part with Anthony Black and Tristan Da Silva in this deal. Black in particular has proven to be a really good player this season and Da Silva is a solid rotation. While the Lakers wouldn’t and shouldn’t make this trade, it’s a better deal than what the Mavericks got for Doncic last year, even with only one first-round pick being included again.

Receiving heat: Luka Dončić

The Lakers get: Tyler Hero, Davion Mitchell, two first round picks, two second round picks

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Hero are the two stars of the Miami Heat. Since then, they have been longing for a third star Jimmy Butler requested a substitution out of town. However, a deal for Doncic would probably mean parting ways with Hero. The heat can be fine with it, though. Hero had over 20 points per game in each of the previous five seasons and was an All-Star last year. Those numbers qualify Hero as a star, but the team has, at times, played better without him.

The Heat advanced to the 2023 NBA Finals largely without Hero, and this year they performed better than expected despite the guard being limited to 11 games. The team is 4-7 in games Herro has answered this year as well. The question must be asked if Herro can contribute to a winning style of play.

If the Heat could flip him for Doncic, a similarly limited defender but an offensive force as talented as any NBA player before him, Miami would have to do it. Doncic would thrive as a leading scorer and playmaker in Miami, where Austin Reaves and LeBron James would not steal his touches.

The Heat are also known for their “Heat Culture”, so they could certainly get the best out of Dončić. Players are required to play as hard as possible on both ends of the court in Miami, so that Doncic can reach levels fans have never seen from him.

Clips get: Luka Dončić

The Lakers get: Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, Ron Holland, three first-round picks, six second-round picks

While the Detroit Pistons can hang around and struggle for years because of their young core, they are in a great spot to make a splash if they want to. The team is currently in first place in the Eastern Conference standings. If there is a time to take action, it would be this year, with the conference wide open due to injuries to Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, as well as the inevitable Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.

A Doncic-Cade Cunningham pairing could be enough to win a championship this year, especially since the Pistons would keep Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson if they made this deal. From an age perspective, it’s possible that Cunningham and Doncic haven’t even reached their prime yet, so this duo could help Detroit contend for years to come.

Despite their current success in the standings, the Pistons have young assets and plenty of them draft capital, so they could beat teams for a star like Doncic. Jaden Ivey and Ron Holland were recent first-round picks who showed serious potential. That would be relatively intriguing for the Lakers, though it’s hard to think they’d even consider this deal. Still, three first-rounders and six second-round picks must be enticing for a team on the brink of James’ retirement.

Hawks get: Luka Dončić

The Lakers get: Zachary Rizacher, Kristaps Porzingis, two first round picks, two second round picks

During the 2018 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks traded the number three pick to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas selected Doncic, and the Hawks took Trae Young with the fifth pick they acquired in a trade back. It’s a move that fans have looked back on ever since. The youngsters, like Doncic, became one of the best offensive engines in the NBA, but the lack of defense and winning style of play led to The Hawks trade him to the Washington Wizards almost nothing.

Doncic was traded for a minimal return, so the relationship between these two is undeniable. It would be pretty ironic if Doncic ends up being traded to the team that originally traded him on draft day. However, a trade with Atlanta could make some sense. The Hawks are clearly entering a new era of basketball. Doncic could take over the role of their main defender leading the attack.

While trading for another defensive player would be questionable at first glance, many of Young’s issues stemmed from a lack of size, while Doncic is a big 6-foot-8 guard. For the Lakers, a big piece like Kristaps Porzingis would fit in quite nicely with James. While building around James doesn’t make much sense given that he only has so many NBA games left, the all-time great has historically had a lot of say in what his teams do in the trade market. It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if James asked for the Lakers to give him a big piece to shoot the ball around. Of course, Porzingis’ health would be a big concern in making this deal.

Still, Zacharie Risacher would be the biggest draw of this trade. While Rizacher took a weak draft class, it still means a lot to be a number one overall pick. He would play a big role in the life of the Lakers after James’ retirement.

Ultimately, the Lakers will stick with Doncic; plain and simple. However, all of the aforementioned trades have a certain degree of logic.