The Dallas Mavericks (27-25) and Los Angeles Lakers (30-19) each secured victories on Thursday night, but the two teams are currently on different trajectories. LA has lost only three games since Jan. 13, while the Mavs are just 5-8 in that span. Many fans believe the most shocking trade in NBA history will only reinforce the current disparity in momentum between the two franchises.

But Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal thinks differently. He believes Dallas has the edge in the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis blockbuster, which caused fans and players alike to wonder if ESPN insider Shams Charania had been hacked in the middle of the night. Despite the Mavericks dealing away a 25-year-old generational talent who just led them to the NBA Finals, O'Neal likes Davis' fit on the roster and worries about LA's depth.

“I think Dallas has probably won the trade because AD goes into a natural position with better players around him,” the four-time champion and three-time Finals MVP said on “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” “Of course, {Lakers} got two top players– LeBron {James} and you got Luka. I don't see who else they got. I don't see them going far… They have no size. Both those guys aren't really great defensive players, so I think Dallas definitely won the trade.”

Questions surround both the Mavericks and Lakers

O'Neal did complement the Lakers organization and applaud Doncic for handling the trade so well, but he does not trust the Lakers' roster as currently constructed. Judging by his comments, though, one can presume that this podcast was filmed before Los Angeles acquired 23-year-old center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. If he can stay healthy, which is something that has eluded him thus far in his career, size should not be a big issue for the team.

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But that is an enormous “if.” The same concerns apply to Luka Doncic, who has not played since suffering a calf injury on Christmas. While the Lakers are rolling right now, there is no telling how they will perform defensively once the superstar joins the starting lineup. The thing is, though, the Mavericks face similar concerns.

Anthony Davis has done a great job at staying healthy for the last year and a half, but the four-time All-NBA First-Teamer is nursing an abdominal issue at the moment. He was a two-way beast in Los Angeles, recording 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals per game this season. The downside, however, is that Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson are all north of 30, with birthdays fast approaching. Their window to win another title is likely a small one.

Max Christie could be the X-factor in this whole equation. The soon-to-be 22-year-old guard took a sizable leap with the Lakers this season, averaging 8.5 points on 44.4 percent shooting while playing solid defense. Christie is adjusting nicely through his first two games in Dallas.

There is a scenario where neither the Lakers nor the Mavericks significantly benefit from the trade in the short term. Shaquille O'Neal believes more in the latter, though. The new-look teams next square off on Feb. 25, coincidentally on TNT.