The Luka Doncic–Anthony Davis blockbuster trade may have gone down in February, but the drama surrounding it is far from over. And come October 15 in Las Vegas, it’s about to heat up all over again.
The Lakers just dropped their preseason schedule, and their matchup against the Mavericks is already turning heads. This will mark the first time the two teams meet since the season ended—meaning fans will get another chance to pick apart one of the most controversial trades in recent NBA memory.
If you somehow missed it, here’s the recap: Dallas shipped their franchise centerpiece, Luka Doncic, to the Lakers and brought in Anthony Davis in return. Mavericks fans were livid, and many still are. Luka, meanwhile, wasted no time proving his worth in purple and gold. He dropped a triple-double against Dallas just days after the trade, then torched them for 45 points in his return to the American Airlines Center.
Davis missed the first game but managed a quiet 13-point, 11-rebound effort in the second. Fair or not, that hasn’t done much to calm the outrage in Dallas.
To make things even more intriguing, the Mavericks somehow lucked into the No. 1 overall pick and could roll out potential top draft choice Cooper Flagg in Vegas. On the other side, the Lakers will bring their star-studded lineup, headlined by LeBron James and, of course, Luka.
In addition to the Vegas showdown, the Lakers will face the Suns in Palm Desert (Oct. 3), the Warriors at home (Oct. 12), and the Kings (Oct. 17) to round out their preseason slate.
Circle October 15—because even though it’s only preseason, the Luka vs. Mavs saga is far from preseason-level drama.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Preseason Matchup Will Reignite Luka-AD Trade Drama
