Luka Doncic and Trae Young forever linked: Timeline of their paths crossing

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a blockbuster trade during the 2018 NBA Draft that forever changed the course of their franchise. They were tied for the third-worst record in the league with the Atlanta Hawks, but Dallas won a tiebreaker before the lottery to have the third-best odds. It turned out that Atlanta jumped to third on lottery night, and Dallas fell to fifth. The Mavs had their eye on Luka Doncic, and they were willing to do whatever it took to acquire the teenage superstar.

Dallas had to trade up to third to select Doncic. The Hawks dropped back two spots, picked up a lottery pick in 2019, and drafted Trae Young with the fifth pick. Fans will remember the draft night photos of Luka wearing a Hawks hat. He was always headed to Dallas, but the NBA does not allow trades to be finalized until after draft night, so technically, the Mavericks selected Trae Young.

The trade forever bonds Doncic and Young, and they both quickly became superstars. After four NBA seasons, both have reached the conference finals and made multiple All-Star appearances. With their next matchup ahead, here is a timeline of Luka and Trae crossing paths.

Dallas Mavericks trading up on draft night forever bonds Luka Doncic and Trae Young

The trade is the start of this story. Doncic played for Real Madrid in Europe, and Young grew up in Oklahoma. The Hawks star was a late bloomer that was ranked 20th coming out of high school, but it took just one dominant year in college for Young to become a top-five pick.

Both play point guard and are known for their offensive ability. They are two of the best passers in the NBA and each struggles on the defensive end of the floor.

Luka Doncic and Trae Young are the two best players from their draft class so far, and the trade is just the first thing that linked the young superstars. It was clear from their rookie seasons that both would be special.

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Luka Doncic wins Rookie of the Year: Trae Young finishes 2nd

Doncic was the Mavericks' best player from the moment he arrived in Dallas, and it did not take him long to adjust to life in the NBA. He averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes per game as a rookie. Doncic shared his first season with Dirk Nowitzki, and it was clear that the Tall Baller from the G would be passing the torch to Luka at the end of his final season.

The Mavs had so much faith in Luka after just a few months that they traded for Kristaps Porzingis during his rookie season. Dallas missed the playoffs, but they wanted to put a second star around the teenager.

Doncic received 98 of the 100 first-place votes to win Rookie of the Year in 2019. Trae Young got the other two and finished second in the voting. The Hawks' point guard averaged 19.1 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 30.9 minutes as a rookie. Both started on opening night, and they were the only unanimous first-team All-Rookie selections that year.

The Mavericks and Hawks split their two meetings during their rookie season with both teams winning at home. Doncic struggled with his efficiency in both matchups. Luka and Trae faced off in the Rising Stars game in 2019 with Young producing a 25-point double-double and helping Team USA defeat Team World. Dallas and Atlanta both missed the playoffs that year, but the Hawks had two lottery selections in 2019 because of the trade.

2020 All-Star weekend: Luka Doncic and Trae Young both make 1st appearance: Lead Rising Stars game

The young stars went from top rookies to All-Stars in year two. Doncic became one of the league’s best scorers as he averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 33.6 minutes per game. He finished fourth in MVP balloting in just his second NBA season.

Both Luka and Trae were selected as All-Star starters in 2020 as Young’s offensive production exploded. The Hawks star averaged 29.6 points, 9.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 35.3 minutes per game.

Doncic and Young were key parts of All-Star weekend as they lead their respective teams in the Rising Stars game. They had a ton of fun competing in the event and even created a viral moment after Luka nailed a half-court shot to close the first half.

Luka had 16 points and five rebounds, but Team World was defeated by Team USA for the second straight year. Young finished with 18 points and seven dimes in the victory.

Doncic had just eight points and four assists in his first All-Star game as Team LeBron defeated Team Giannis. Young had a 10-point 10-assist double-double in the loss as both players improved their stock in their first All-Star appearances.

Luka Doncic makes 1st playoff appearance and All-NBA team as Trae Young sits out

The Hawks were nowhere near the playoffs in 2020 after finishing 20-47 with the fourth-worst record in the NBA. It allowed Atlanta to add Onyeka Okonguwu to their talented roster, but Trae Young was just 49-100 through his first two NBA seasons.

Dallas finished 43-32 and seventh in the Western Conference as Luka Doncic made first-team All-NBA for the first time in his career. The Mavs were 3-5 during the bubble regular season games before facing the LA Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. The two teams split the first four games before Kawhi Leonard and company dominated two straight contests to advance to the second round.

Doncic showed that he can and will raise his game in the playoffs. Kristaps Porzingis suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss the final three games of the series. In the first game without KP, Luka responded with a 43-point triple-double, including this iconic game-winning buzzer-beater to even the series.

The Mavericks superstar was quickly becoming one of the faces of the NBA, and there were questions about could Trae Young lead his team on a deep playoff run after their second season. Luka shined in the postseason, even as his team made a first-round exit, and Dallas looked like the significant winner in the trade.

Trae Young and Hawks reach conference finals as Luka Doncic exits in 1st round

Luka made his second All-Star start in 2021 as Trae Young missed the team, but it was the Hawks who got the last laugh during their third NBA season. Atlanta broke a three-year playoff drought as they finished the regular season at 41-31, which was the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Young helped the Hawks upset the Knicks and Sixers in the postseason to reach the conference finals.

It was an unexpected run that further proved how special Trae Young is on the floor. The Hawks may need to hide him on defense, but he is one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league. Atlanta lost to the eventual-champion Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals. It took nothing away from their impressive play to get there, and it had fans rethinking the Luka Doncic versus Trae Young debate.

Dallas reached the playoffs for the second straight, and the Clippers bounced them in the first round again. Luka Doncic again took his game to another level, and the Mavericks were so close to pulling the upset. It took two otherworldly performances from Kawhi Leonard to knock out number 77 and the Mavs in seven games.

Doncic averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game during that series as he shot 49.0 percent from the field and 40.8 percent on his 3-point tries. There was no questioning Luka’s greatness after this series, but Young led his team on a playoff run. The debate between the two players was back on, and it was not going away.

2022 All-Star weekend: Trae Young starts in 2nd appearance as Luka Doncic comes off bench

The Hawks dominated the Mavericks on the opening night of the 2021-2022 season in what was the beginning of an awful start for Dallas. They faced turmoil after their second straight first-round playoff exit, and owner Mark Cuban replaced both his general manager and head coach in the summer of 2021. It took Dallas some time to find their footing under head coach Jason Kidd, especially after Luka did not show up in peak condition.

Doncic’s slow start made him an All-Star reserve for the first time in his career. Trae Young was back in the starting five after not making it at all in 2021. The Hawks superstar had a 13-point double-double for Team Durant, but it was Luka on Team LeBron that got the final laugh with a 163-160 victory. Doncic had eight points and three dimes off the bench in his third All-Star game.

The Mavs reached another level down the stretch as they vaulted to fourth in the Western Conference. Coach Kidd had them playing stout defense, and everything was clicking around Doncic.

The Hawks finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, and they had to go through the play-in tournament to qualify for the playoffs. They topped the Hornets and Cavaliers to secure the eighth seed, but the postseason flipped the comparison between these two players firmly back in Doncic’s direction.

Luka Doncic and Mavericks reach conference finals as Trae Young and Hawks face turmoil

Doncic missed the first three games of the Mavs' first-round series against the Utah Jazz with a calf injury before coming back in Game 4 with a 30-point double-double. Number 77 never missed a beat as Dallas knocked out Utah in six games before taking out the top-seeded Suns. Luka had two unbelievable performances in Game 6 and 7 to lift the Mavericks to a massive upset and put them in the conference finals for just the fifth time in franchise history.

Young’s team won just one game in the 2022 playoffs as they were taken out by the top-seeded Miami Heat in five games. The 24-year-old point guard struggled to hit shots as his numbers dipped significantly in that series. Atlanta failed to live up to their expectations after their conference finals run, and it has led to plenty of turmoil (subscription required) since, including front office turnover.

Could Trae Young be the next superstar to ask out of their current situation? Atlanta is back in the play-in mix and struggling to find their footing. Changes are coming, but the team has zero interest in trading Young. Could the young superstar force their hands? It is something to watch moving forward.

Luka Doncic and Trae Young will forever be linked and compared. Blockbuster draft night trades do that to young talented players. This one worked out for both sides as each team got a superstar. Luka has the edge so far, but which one has the better career? Stay tuned to find out.