After the inconsistency that the Dallas Mavericks have suffered this season, Nico Harrison, Dallas Mavericks’ GM, decided to change the direction of his sports project and prioritize the defensive part with Anthony Davis and Max Christie. The controversy around this trade was that none of the players involved in the trade knew that this trade was being made. In the aftermath, Golden State Warriors player Dennis Schroder made a controversial comparison about the NBA trade deadline.
“It’s like modern slavery. It’s modern slavery at the end of the day. Everybody can decide where you’re going, even if you have a contract. Yeah, of course, we make a lot of money and we can feed our families, but at the end of the day if they say, ‘You’re not coming to work tomorrow, you’re going over there,’ they can decide that. They got to change that a little bit,” stated Dennis Schroder as reported by NBC Sports.
For Dennis Schroder, the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade highlights what he sees as a form of modern-day servitude in the NBA, where players have little control over their futures and are at the mercy of front-office decisions. While he acknowledges the privilege of earning millions as a professional athlete, Schroder believes players should have more agency in trade negotiations and major roster moves.
Dennis has made it clear he wants to stay with the Golden State Warriors, expressing confidence in the team’s potential: “…I want to be where I feel loved. We’re going to get back to winning ways, turn this around and hopefully we can get a run in the Playoffs. When you are received the way I was received here, obviously you want to stay”.
Dennis Schroder #71 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 10, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Despite Dennis intentions, NBA insider Marc J. Spears reports that Schroder is available for trade, raising questions about his future with the team. A clear sign that sentiment may not always align with reality of the franchise project.
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NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal reveals the winner of the Mavericks-Lakers trade
Many experts stated that the Mavericks by reinforcing the defense with Davis and Christie gained a lot in the short term as they knew how to play without the offensive performance of Luka Doncic due to the long term injuries suffered by the young star. After this, Shaq O’Neal analyzed this trade and stated that the Mavericks won in the short term.
“Obviously, Dallas didn’t want to move forward with one of the greatest young players that we’ve seen today…It’s obvious that they didn’t want to move forward with a 25-year-old superstar, but now he’s in LA LA land… However, I think Dallas got better of the trade for the next two years,” stated Shaq O’Neal on TNT Sports.
In the long run, the absence of an elite scorer like Luka Doncic could prove costly, as the team sacrificed offensive firepower to prioritize defense. They also strengthened a conference rival by sending one of the league’s best players to the Lakers. Only time will tell if Shaquille O’Neal’s analysis was correct.
