That was the logic behind a trade proposal from ESPN's Tim McMahon on the Friday, May 2 edition of the "Brian Windhorst & the Hoop Collective" podcast, when McMahon suggested the Lakers pursue a second consecutive deal with the Dallas Mavericks after trading Anthony Davis for Doncic back in February.

Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Lakers did not trade for Luka to win in 2025. Why they rescinded the trade they made for Charlotte center Mark Williams at the deadline is beyond me. He’s 7 feet tall, averaged 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Hornets and had a 26-16 game here in Dallas after LA deemed him unfit. Didn’t look that way to the Mavericks.