Former Laker surprisingly backs Mavericks' controversial Luka Doncic trade

As the Dallas Mavericks are back to work, the team has something to heavily prove. Despite all the outside noise, they have the chance to prove that trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers still isn't as bad as most people may have made it out to be depending on how the next few years go.

Although Anthony Davis was acquired in the trade, Davis has yet to play since his dominant Mavericks debut. If Davis continues to be out for a significant time, the Doncic trade is in serious danger of being thought to be not only one of the worst moves in Mavericks history but also destroying the Mavericks' hopes of going far in the 2025 playoffs, if the Mavericks even make the playoffs.

The Mavericks have some serious critics to silence after the break to show that they were right about their concerns around Doncic. In a shocking twist, as much heat as the Mavericks caught for the trade, one former Laker thought something different.

Carlos Boozer defends Mavericks controversially trading Luka Doncic

Some basketball fans might forget that former two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer finished his 13-year NBA career with the Lakers in the 2014-15 season. However, as a former Laker, instead of showing any kind of favoritism toward his former team, Boozer actually defended the Mavericks for trading Doncic while giving both teams credit.

Boozer claimed that both the Mavericks and Lakers "won the trade." With a shocking statement like that, Boozer explained why the Mavericks had a reason why they won the trade.

"They have an incredible roster when Anthony Davis comes back," Boozer said. "Kyrie Irving is playing amazing like normal, Klay Thompson has found his shot, they have a ton of bigs over there from P.J. Washington, to Dereck Lively II, to Gafford, obviously, Anthony Davis, that team is prepared to make a run right now with the way they're constructed."

Sure, Davis will give the Mavericks a needed push when he comes back, and sure the Mavericks have quality big men, but the issue is the Mavericks don't know when Davis will be healthy to return. A scary possible thought that could happen is by the time Davis returns is the Mavericks could fall down in the standings, even with Irving's All-Star play this season.

The Mavericks currently sit with a 30-26 record in the Western Conference. There is still no guarantee the Mavericks will make the 2025 playoffs. However, despite the fire the Mavericks caught from the Doncic trade, they headed into the All-Star break on a high.

The Mavericks won four of their final five games before the All-Star break to have momentum. Irving recorded two 30-point games and one 42-point game in February right before the All-Star break.

While everyone will still have an opinion on the Doncic trade, Boozer had a say in how both teams were built after the trade. He gave both teams credit, and a former Laker partially siding with Dallas has to feel good for Mavs fans.

"I think the Lakers set themselves up for the future, I thought Dallas set themselves up for right now," Boozer said.

Dallas is no doubt in a win-now phase with Davis, Irving, and Thompson being aging veterans who all have championship pedigree. Tonight's showdown against the New Orleans Pelicans is the first game for Dallas following the All-Star break to send a message that they are legit, regardless of the injuries they are dealing with.