New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS): The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) dynamics have changed majorly through the trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers which saw Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic being traded for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, in a roundtable conference with international media, reflected on the trade claiming that it was a perfect example of how emotionally vested fans are to the players and the game as a whole.
“What it really shows is the amount of interest that these trades and movement of players demonstrate. It was all anyone talked about for the first few days and the reaction on social media, of the fans around the world. It shows how emotionally vested fans are in the players, and teams they root for, and generally how it impacts their team.
“Even if you are not fans of the Mavericks and the Lakers it still has an impact as it changes the dynamics of the league. Anytime a trade happens involving star players, you see the emotion of both sides. You see excitement from a team and you see disappointment because so many players have a vested interest in the players. This trade deadline there was a ton of movement and I think it makes it more interesting,” said Tatum.
Fans will have to wait a while before watching how the trade impacts both sides as Anthony Davis has been ruled out for multiple weeks after suffering a non-contact injury during his Mavs debut against the Houston Rockets. The nine-time All-Star scored 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists before having to come off.
Doncic on the other hand has played cameos in two games, both against the Utah Jazz, but was certainly not up to his high standards after having not played in the league since Christmas. Fans will hope the Slovenian rests well during the ongoing All-Star break and returns with replenished energy upon the resumption of the league.
The 74th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Monday (IST) at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will feature a new mini-tournament format, with the 24 NBA All-Star selections divided evenly into three teams, and the fourth team composed of the Rising Stars champions.
Tatum revealed he expects the new format to be ‘more engaging’ for the fans. “We knew very clearly that we needed to bring up a format that would be more engaging for the fans, and one that would showcase our best players in the league. This mini-tournament that we have arrived at is an attempt at doing the same,” he added.