The Dallas Mavericks surprised everyone by trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Later that evening, Luka Doncic surprised everyone by scoring 28 points in the first quarter against the LA Clippers. He would go on to score a career-high 51 points in a 112-105 Mavs win.
The Mavs dealt away Porzingis and a second-round draft pick for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. It was a surprising move for Dallas, who traded for Porzingis at the 2019 trade deadline to give Doncic a co-star for the future. After just three seasons, the Mavericks decided to move on from him. Doncic said that the team will miss Porzingis and that he wishes him the best, per ESPN's Tim McMahon.
“Obviously, we're going to miss KP,” Doncic said. “We were building something great here. It didn't obviously work out. I wish him the best, and we've got two new guys who are welcome. Bertans is a great shooter. Dinwiddie can put the ball on the floor and he can score. The NBA is a business.
“He went through a lot with the injuries. I think this year, he was way better. Like I said, the NBA is a business, and I wish him the best in the future.”
Porzingis' lack of availability has always been his Achilles heel. The Mavs' big man has been a key scorer and interior defender ever since his arrival but always seemed to be injured. His scoring and long-range shooting will have to be replicated by Dinwiddie and Bertans, who are not enjoying terrific seasons so far.
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