NBA Rumors: Nico Harrison Eyed Luka Doncic-Anthony Edwards Trade Before Lakers Deal
The Dallas Mavericks ultimately traded the face of their franchise for Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis, but the team reportedly first sought a younger star in return for Luka Dončić.
Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison initially reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about a trade for Anthony Edwards.
"He was promptly told no," Amick wrote. "The Timberwolves, league sources say, were stunned that Dallas was contemplating parting ways with Dončić."
Though the trade still would have been shocking, moving Dončić to Minnesota in return for Edwards would in some ways be less surprising than the trade to the Lakers.
Edwards is just 23 years old and at the start of his prime while Davis, though still an outstanding talent, is 31 years old and likely closer to the end of his prime. Edwards is having the best season of his career, putting up 27.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 12 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this year.
Given Edwards' MVP-caliber numbers and the fact that he just led the Timberwolves to their second Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history, it makes sense that Minnesota preferred to keep him on the roster even if it meant saying no to one of the best players in the league.
So far, the Dončić for Davis trade hasn't worked out in the Mavericks' favor. Davis had a good start to his Dallas tenure, putting up 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in his debut, but suffered an adductor strain in that game. The injury is set to leave him sidelined for multiple weeks.
Dončić is still shaking off the rust from a calf strain that forced him to miss more than a month of action, but has averaged 19.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game through six games in Los Angeles. The Lakers are 4-2 with him in the lineup.
The report about the Mavs eyeing Edwards could make the Western Conference playoffs even more interesting, but first, the three teams will need to secure their spots in the postseason. The Lakers are in a good position in fourth place, but the Timberwolves and Mavericks are teetering on the edge in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
