Feb 2, 2026
Luka Doncic Lakers Trade Ranked Among NBA Worst
Bleacher Report built a new LUKA metric, sifted hundreds of trades and ranked the 50 worst deals in NBA history, putting last year’s Luka Dončić-for-Anthony Davis swap at No. 1. The piece revisits era‑defining moves from Kareem and Wilt to more recent gambles, even noting, "We named the new metric after this trade," to underline how singular the Mavericks’ decision looks today. Merlin senses a clear warning for front offices: elite young playmakers are nearly impossible to replace and draft capital remains sacred. If Dončić collects more awards or rings, the trade will age even worse and future GMs will point to the LUKA list before surrendering franchise-altering assets.
🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction
Odds the Luka trade will still be the worst on the list in five years: 80%.
