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Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is deep in preparation for Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX, but he took some time Monday to discuss the NBA blockbuster trade that shook the sports world Saturday night.
Mahomes, who is a longtime Dallas Mavericks fan from Tyler, Texas, told reporters the following Monday at Super Bowl Opening Night when asked about the Mavs’ shocking decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis:
“Luka is such a franchise player. I know it hurt my heart as a Mavs fan, but I’m excited for the future and having [Davis].
“It definitely hurts more than anything knowing Luka and the work that he put in and the time he’s put in in Dallas and the city and how he’s done so much for it. That’s been the thing that’s hurt me the most. But I’m excited for the future of the Mavs as well. Having AD and Kyrie [Irving] and all these guys they have, they’ll have a chance to go out there and compete. But I’m excited for Luka too and to get to learn under LeBron [James] and become even a better basketball player.”
Fans were shocked late Saturday night when news broke of one of the biggest NBA trades in recent memory.
The crux of the deal saw Dončić go to the Lakers and Davis go to the Mavs, but the Lakers also received Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
There was a third-team involved as well with the Utah Jazz getting Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
While Dončić has been out since December due to a calf injury, he has been widely considered one of the top players in the NBA since entering the league in 2018.
The five-time All-Star led the league in scoring last season with 33.9 points per game, plus he finished third in NBA MVP voting and led the Mavs to the NBA Finals.
Prior to getting injured this season, the Slovenian star was enjoying another big year with 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
Dončić does not turn 26 until Feb. 28, which likely explains why the Lakers jumped at the opportunity to acquire him and pair him with LeBron.
Of course, the Lakers had to give up a quality player in Davis to make it happen, and his presence will likely be missed in L.A.
The 10-time All-Star helped the Lakers win their most recent championship in 2020, and he has been excellent this season with averages of 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 blocks per contest.
Davis will turn 32 in March, so while he doesn’t have as many peak seasons left as Dončić, he can still help the Mavs win big this season, especially with Irving as his running mate.
The acquisition of Davis likely speeds up Dallas’ timeline and makes it even more important to win a championship in the next couple of seasons, whereas the Lakers likely extended their championship window with the addition of Dončić.
After the Chiefs go for the first Super Bowl three-peat in NFL history on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, Mahomes’ offseason will begin, and he may be able to shift more of his focus toward the new-look Mavs and their pursuit of a second championship in franchise history.
