The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Lakers-Mavericks Trade Reaction: Luka Doncic & Anthony Davis, "Dallas won trade"

Episode Date: February 2, 2025

Colin Cowherd reacts to the blockbuster NBA trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. Colin gives his take on why he sees the Mavericks as the winner short term and can compete for an NBA Championship still. Colin talks about why Luka Doncic got traded and how this sets the Lakers up post LeBron James. Will Luka & LeBron will work together? Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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On behalf of Boot Hill Casinoin Resort in Kansas, 21 and over, agent eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. New customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng.co slash audio. So obviously the trade is historically significant.

I do remember where I was when Powell Gasol was traded from Memphis to the Lakers, a window seat flying to Mexico on a plane and thinking, this almost doesn't sound real. How do you get Powell Gasol for what the Lakers surrendered? This has even greater significance, but I was trying to make sense of it this morning. Obviously, Dallas initiated the call because they wanted to move. move on or it feels like if the Lakers initiated it, um,

Dallas would have gotten more, right? One first round pick, Anthony Davis. I mean, that's, that's the guts of the deal. So why would Dallas do it? Well, the Adelson family, Miriam Addison is the new owner. They may see the world differently. You have an NBA with stars load management, you know, like the guy that shows up every night is LeBron

James, right? That's old school. I mean, LeBron's dropping one of his better games of the year at Madison Square Garden. How old is he 40? Almost. LeBron feels very old school and a lot of current stars. What you look for, am I going to get 70, 72 games a year? And you look at Luca, who missed all of training camp this year, I think most of it last year, hasn't played since Christmas. And the new owners are staring down the barrel of a $350 million max extension, which is minimum four years. And they're looking at it thinking, you know, I don't know how much NBA knowledge the Adelson's have. But the people in the building are looking around and thinking, I remember three years ago, and this was said regularly. You know, Embed is going to be championships.

He's the next shack. He's the shack comp. And there were some injuries, but nothing to worry about. and he was kind of gifted an MVP when Yokic probably deserved his third trait. And Embed now won't play back to backs. And so you look at Lukadotich. I wouldn't have made the trade. But if you give me three firsts and Anthony Davis and another player, it makes more sense to me.

He's playing about 65 games a year. Is that ever going to become more? That's what I'm getting now. And he's young. He's in his prime. hasn't played since Christmas, been out of the last two training camps, conditioning concerns.

And the Lakers are like, you know, last two years, Anthony Davis, arguably best defender in the league. You put in with PJ Washington, Kyrie Irving. You know,

you start looking around with that team and you're like, for the short term, Dallas won the deal. Dallas can compete now, to me, for an NBA championship. I mean,

that's, I mean, they're a 500 team now. You get 80% of Lucas' offense when he's playing, but you get much better defense, a REM protective, and a great score. So short term, you know, Dallas has a roster that can compete with anybody. Short term, the Lakers don't.

They'll be one of the worst defensive teams in the league now. They have got to go get a big, and they won't get a great one. So, I mean, that's the only way I can fathom you'd make this deal. But clearly it feels like Dallas initiates the deal. Otherwise, you just get more in return. And again, you know, there is no NFL comp for this. I was thinking this morning. I was thinking about, like, let's say Joe Burrow, who's great, an offensive machine like Luca,

has had some injuries more than one, never a conditioning issue, but had some injuries. And let's say you were staring down the barrel of a $350 million extension. And you say to yourself, well, I can get a couple of, I can get two or three firsts, another great player. That is not a move I would make either. But I get why the calls are made on injuries. You know, these windows are short to get a great player in their prime, even for quarterbacks. I mean, Brady's the exception.

I can see them looking at Luca and just saying, we have four years minimum. He's missing training camps. He doesn't come in great shape to begin with. He doesn't give you even 70 games in Western Conference finals a couple years ago. I think it was 2022. He missed three games in that. And so you try to rationalize it and they just got tired of it. Obviously, this is something that's been brewing inside the Mavericks for a long time.

They didn't do this on a whim. It does feel with the trade deadline coming, there's a little panicky feel to it. But that's the only reason that makes sense. They just looked at injuries, conditioning, new owners, you know, load management. becoming something. I think a lot of owners, Mark Cuban sold a big percentage of this. They said it for real estate, but I think Mark, the smartest people I've ever known or met tend to sell early before late. Maybe Cuban didn't like the feel. Maybe it was for estate planning, but in real estate, in terms of the Lakers, you have to make this move. How haven't we talked about

this for years? Is that, you know, LeBron pretty much felt like he ran the franchise. Then they're going to draft brawny. Everything kind of runs through Brony. And according to multiple sources this morning, Brian Winhorse, I trust, Brony did not know about the move. Dave McMinneman echoed that. Bron James did not know about the move. Now, is that LeBron posturing so Anthony Davis doesn't think he got rid of him? I don't know. I'm just going to trust NBA reporters who have boots on the ground. But it does feel like a clear shift to J.J. Reddick and Luca are the future of the franchise. I don't think the Lakers are going to be a great team this year. They're playing very well now, but playing well in the NBA in January and February just does not resonate later. A lot of teams play hard and play well now. It's a late April, May and June league. So I think when I look at this move, I look at the Lakers and I think long term, they got a star in his prime who's got like six more great years left. And that's what they need.

I mean, it does feel like, you know, LeBron's sort of been pulling this franchise around. And, you know, AD's like, we need another big. I don't want to play a five. I want to play a four. He's allowed to now do that more to Dallas. So it's a good fit for AD and it's a good short-term fit. I mean, if you told me right now, AD, gave you two more totally healthy years, I think Dallas can compete for a championship for the next two years.

I think Luca LeBron and a mediocre rim protector doesn't feel like a championship team to me. Let me throw this out there, though. because I think the Lakers ended up getting, you know, their future. And I think AD is out of his prime, maybe a little but not far out of it, is that Anthony Davis, when he came to L.A., you know, people used to joke, he was a dad bod, his conditioning was okay. He wouldn't play through injuries. I mean, I remember talking to an NBA executive, and Jerry West, the late Jerry West had voiced concerns about,

is he going to play through injuries? It's a long season. he's a big it pounds on your body they were concerned around like NBA from you know executives about his durability and his willingness to play banged up which you have to do it in pro sports at some point and uh boy the last couple of years being around lebron the LA lifestyle is different you know I'm sorry but it just is you know I always joke with my wife when I'm in Chicago or I'm out east I eat differently you know LA lifestyle's a thing uh you're in the Staples Center. It's glamorous. LeBron is, you know, uber dedicated. And it felt like LeBron

had a real effect on 80s, body conditioning, work ethic, and dedication. Could LeBron have that with Luca, I think potentially? I think LeBron's incredibly, he's the greatest basketball player, many people believe ever. LeBron's level of dedication and ability to smartly, not many manipulate, but move things in his direction. He's a convincing player, manager slash coach, all those hats. He wears those.

So would you get the best of Luca for about a five to a six game, you know, or however long LeBron plays? I mean, you watch LeBron against the Knicks, LeBron's got more good years left. But it does feel like, to me, that J.J. Reddick and Luca are kind of the future. You're going to keep LeBron.

He'll probably stay around L.A. as business is doing well in Los Angeles. But the fact that they didn't have to give up a second first round pick feels like a huge win for the Lakers, not a win, but a huge win. And they get their superstar for the future. And it never felt like that with LeBron or A.D. A.D. is a great player. I don't think he doesn't feel necessarily like a Kobe or a magic or a LeBron.

He's more in the Kareem mode where he's a big. He can be kind of stoic, nice guy. But, you know, Lakers stars have always felt big personalities, big aura, kind of iconic. That's LeBron. And Luca has a bit of that feel because he's such a prolific score. So it's strange. I think Dallas needed to get more. This was clearly something that had been in the works for a while.

And proving once again, if people don't want things out, It doesn't get out. I've said this for years. Stories get out because somebody wants them out. When you see big moves, like historic moves, Tom Brady to Tampa, that didn't happen in the last hour, right?

Like that thing had been discussed. It doesn't get out. It doesn't get out. This didn't get out. So, you know, who won the trade? Short term, I think Dallas is going to be a really, really good basketball team.

with the size to match up with anybody, the experience to match up with anybody, the toughness. AD is a tremendous player and has had a great two years. I thought he should have won the defensive player the year last year. It's just a tremendous player who I think it has to be noted. LeBron has had a real effect on his conditioning,

his intensity, his toughness, his consistency, no doubt. And I think LeBron can have that same effect on Luca. I think he can. I mean, those last two training camps, where's Luca? Hasn't played since December. Where's Luca? You know, and for years, I have said that I think Luca's a much better version of Carmelo Anthony. Conditioning's average.

Kind of has a style that he's not going to bend for anybody. Don't know that he necessarily always elevates other teammates to their highest level. You know, he's just got his own gain. He's like the sun and everything sort of rotates around him. it. And I always felt that was kind of mellow. Also, Mello and Luca very poor defensively, you know, not really engaged like you prefer on the defensive end. But I think Lucas, and both Hall of Fame first ballot guys, but I think Lucas got a little bit of that in him. But I just think Lucas better. And I think Los Angeles can change people. It can change how

Luca views his brand. It's just different. It's different than Dallas. It's different from big cities. different from Philly. It's different from Chicago, the lifestyle, the diet, being around LeBron, the Laker image. I mean, Dallas is a football down. You can argue L.A. is an NBA and a baseball city, Dodgers-Lakers. So long-term, I like it for the Lakers, short-term, I really like it for Dallas. Dallas is going to be a handful. They are going to be a handful. I mean, Kyrie backcourt, AD, front court, allowed to play the four that he liked. two. I mean, it wouldn't shock me at all of the Mavericks.

Got to the Western Conference finals in one. And would it shock you? 80s giving you 28 dominating the rim. You know, Kyrie's on the outside. Clay Thompson occasionally from the angle. And you look up and Dallas is in the finals. Wouldn't surprise me at all. I mean, OKC still feels kind of young.

I mean, Denver no longer plays defense. I don't know what's happened to Denver's defense, but they don't play it much anymore. So short-term Dallas is going to be really fun to watch. And I had Adam Silver on, the NBA commissioner on my show. I don't know, was it three weeks ago, a month ago? And one of the things we talked about is I said is the NBA feels a little concerned about trades and about the possibility of it being uneven in the league.

And my take is trades are great. I mean, I can't wait to watch Luca as a Laker. I can't wait to watch the Dallas Mavericks. I'm a huge believer in trades. I mean, think about last night, I wake up this morning. I went to bed pretty early last night. I wake up this morning and my phone's blowing up. I got 15 text.

I got people with the volume. Can you come in you come on and do 20, 30 minutes? Yes. They weren't doing that two days ago. So I think trades are great. It's just amazing. If you had told me a day ago, you can get Luke up to, the Mavericks for Anthony Davis and a first round pick.

What? Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves, and three first round picks I would have bought. That feels like maybe Austin Reeves is too good a player. Anthony Davis, no, Anthony Davis, three first round picks and somebody else. Of note for the Lakers, although they don't have a lot of note players, right? Dalton Connect maybe. three first rounders, Dalton Connect, Anthony Davis, then it feels interesting.

But, I mean, we could be looking up at this thing in about three years going, what hell are the Mavericks? What do they do? But my guess is that Anthony Davis stays pretty healthy and committed, and you're going to have a two-year run here where Dallas can play with absolutely anybody. I mean, what if the Mavericks get to the finals? And what if the Lakers are so bad defensively?

They face Dallas in the first round and get washed out. I mean, that's what's so fun about this trade. There's so many potential finishes. There's so many potential results. It's just in year one. So I'm fired up for it. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers.

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to a first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. I'm Joey Dardano. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Psych, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.