When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in that stunning trade four months ago, there was a huge backlash because of the relatively low price they paid to obtain him from the Dallas Mavericks. But that backlash wasn’t limited to Mavericks fans who were livid at general manager Nico Harrison for letting the generational superstar leave so easily.
There are likely many other people around the league, especially members of other teams’ front offices, who were and still are irate over this trade. For whatever reason, there has always been some hatred for the Lakers across the NBA, and it seems like the Doncic deal reignited those bad feelings.
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According to Jake Weinbach, executives consider the Doncic trade a “gift” to the Lakers, and as a result, the franchise may have to overpay for players it wants to trade for moving forward.
There has long been a theory that there is a “Lakers tax” in prospective trades because of the antipathy that other teams have toward the Purple and Gold. It looks like the Doncic trade could be just the thing that will increase that supposed tax.
Los Angeles badly needs help at the center position and could also use better guard and wing depth. It has been linked to big men such as Nic Claxton, Brook Lopez and the Mavs’ Daniel Gafford, and there will likely be others the team at least inquires about very soon.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers may have to overpay for players due to Luka Doncic trade