The Mavericks just can’t seem to get a break. They went for what they deemed the best way to generate immediate gains when they swapped erstwhile foundational piece Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis. For eternal optimists squinting to see the light in the face of the shocking decision of the front office, the key lay in the availability of the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a freak injury midway through his debut for the blue and silver, joining vital cogs Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford in the sidelines for the foreseeable future. And then, when they appeared to be making the most of their challenged roster, they wound up losing leading scorer and playmaker Kyrie Irving to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Of course, the Mavericks couldn’t have known they would be snakebitten when they let go of Dončić this time last month. Considering how determined they were to forge a new path, however, it’s fair to argue that not even some premonition of the outcome of the deal would have stopped them. That the Lakers are now tangibly reaping the benefits of the development serves only to rub salt on open wounds. And these lesions look to fester while they ponder on the best course of action in the interim. Because prudence is the better part of valor, viewing the 2024-25 campaign as a lost cause may yet prove reasonable.
Interestingly, the sight of the bank getting broken by an all-in call, ill-advised or not, is more common in the National Basketball Association than conventional wisdom would care to admit. Practically all franchises have chosen seemingly questionable personnel options at one time or another — some with recalcitrance in subscribing to the sunk cost fallacy. In the case of the Mavericks, though, success was deemed critical given that they gave up a five-time All-NBA First Team selection yet to hit his peak in order to draw their desired hand on the river.
The good news is that history treats winners with kindness. And, yes, the Mavericks may well be able to see their vision through over time. The bad news is that they can’t withdraw their chips from the middle of the table. Meanwhile, they’re likely to keep attracting no small measure of backlash for their choice, what with a significant rise in ticket prices slated to kick in. The triumphs will be harder to come by. The scarcity of goodwill becomes more pronounced. The risk has been taken; the ultimate return is anybody’s guess.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
