David Stern, the former head of the NBA, once said the ideal NBA playoff was “Lakers vs Lakers.”
So naturally we once again have a suspiciously favorable trade out of nowhere for the Lakers. This trade sends Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas.
Luka is widely considered one of the 3 best players in the NBA. Most rank Davis outside the top 10. The NBA pundits have all said this trade came out of nowhere and that Dallas could have gotten more for Luka if they had taken the time to shop him around.
Since Dallas has behaved in a way against its own interests to the benefit of the Lakers, it’s reasonable to look for explanations. And the best explanation is the NBA itself pushing behind the scenes for a better Lakers team and more eyes on the finals. Last years finals, despite featuring the Celtics, a team with a historic legacy and fan base, struggled with low ratings. Pairing the most famous name in basketball with one of the largest international stars in Luka might be just what the ratings doctor (or the NBA chief) ordered.
This would go into NBA lore alongside the worst officiated NBA playoff game in history to help the Lakers get by the Kings, the Gasol trade (that also came out of nowhere stunning other NBA teams alongside pundits, and Kobe forcing his way to the Lakers in the NBA draft.
The Lakers have gone from an also-ran to a potential championship team overnight with a sweetheart deal without having to bid against other teams. The NBA has done it again. But the Lakers will still manage to screw it up and everytime a Laker’s fan cries, an angel gets its wings.
