Luka Doncic trade destroyed Mavericks' best rivalry before it began

Luka Doncic’s infamous departure from the Dallas Mavericks robbed Mavs fans of seeing one of the NBA’s preeminent entertainers up close and personal in his prime.

But Doncic’s frigid exodus, courtesy of Nico Harrison, also prevented the Mavericks’ budding rivalry with the Oklahoma City Thunder from fully taking shape. Sunday night's game was proof of this, as Dallas' game against the Thunder just felt like a normal regular-season game.

These games used to be the most intense matchups of the season for Dallas, but not anymore. A team that was once perfectly built to take down the Thunder is now an afterthought on Oklahoma City's schedule.

Mavs and Thunder were building a rivalry for the ages

NBA rivalries are the lifeblood of the league. When the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks defeated the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 4-2 in 2024 to advance to the Western Conference Finals and then the NBA Finals, it was almost a foregone conclusion that both teams would be vying for Western Conference supremacy the very next season.

Doncic led that Thunder/Mavs series in total points, rebounds, and assists, adding another chapter to the lore of “Luka Magic.” The Mavs stamped themselves as legit championship contenders in Game 6 of that series, overcoming a 17-point deficit to win 117-116 in spectacular fashion to clinch the series.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving were peaking as a one-two punch at the right time, unseating a young and talented Thunder team widely viewed as a championship contender. Both teams were sure they would meet again in the postseason for years to come. All either team needed was just a few tweaks to the roster, right?

The Luka Doncic trade triggered a collapse

However, the fates chose to judge the Mavericks harshly, and the fallout was immediate.  

The Mavericks' front office was growing weary of Doncic playing himself into shape each season; his fluctuating weight and recurring calf injuries made Dallas hesitant to offer him the supermax contract he probably deserved.

Once Nico Harrison traded Doncic before last season’s trade deadline, the domino effect of Irving’s torn ACL and Anthony Davis’ constant injury status made it abundantly clear that the Mavericks were experiencing a colossal reversal of fortune. In the wrong direction.

Now, Dallas fans still feel the sting of what could have been. What should have been. Doncic has always been a showman. He’s top-tier NBA theater. He and Irving should be battling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holgrem for the Western Conference crown for the next three to five years.

The Mavs versus the Oklahoma City Thunder should be the talk of the league right now. And Doncic should be on his MVP campaign trail. But somehow we’ve all been abducted by some sort of alternate universe that skewed the correct timeline like the TVA in the Loki Marvel TV series.

Thunder capitalized on the Mavericks' misfortunes

To add insult to injury, the same Oklahoma City Thunder team that couldn’t figure out how to deal with the dynamic tandem of Doncic and Irving in the 2024 playoffs was then able to coast to the 2025 NBA Championship with their biggest rival and roadblock removed without having to lift a finger.

The Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (who Dallas had defeated the year prior in the Western Conference Finals) in seven games to make the 2025 NBA Finals. How’s that for some irony?

OKC boasted a 68-14 regular season record on the way to its 2025 NBA Championship. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his first NBA MVP award, and his co-stars Chet Holgrem and Jalen Williams were both rewarded handsomely with five-year rookie contract extensions that will keep them in the OKC fold for years to come.

Nico Harrison has become the gift that keeps on giving. Much to the chagrin of Mavericks fans.

That’s what must have been running through the Thunder players' minds as they popped championship champagne in the locker room after the basketball gods blessed them yet again when Tyrese Haliburton popped his Achilles in the first quarter of Game 7 in the 2025 NBA Finals. 

Dallas fans have to feel that a lot of OKC’s success has been achieved at their expense. The Mavs and the Thunder were poised to have a rivalry for the ages. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.