Can you imagine a world where Luka Doncic isn’t leading the Dallas Mavericks but instead puts up record numbers for the Atlanta Hawks?
That was almost a reality back in 2018 when the Hawks originally selected Doncic in the NBA Draft.
But it didn’t last long, as the Hawks then sent the Slovenian superstar to the Mavericks in exchange for Trae Young and a 2019 first-round pick.
Atlanta Hawks legend Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/dcRSUpljHm
— Greg Kaplan (@BlueshirtsBreak) July 22, 2021
Now that Donic is one of the best players in the league, many are wondering if the Hawks regret passing on him.
Was this a huge mistake or are the Hawks doing just fine without Doncic?
The Doncic Deal
In 2019, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk expressed why the team decided to send Doncic packing before he even played a single NBA game.
Here’s what he told The Woj Pod:
“Not a lot of people know this: if we would’ve stayed at three, we would’ve taken Luka. But then Dallas came in an hour or so before the draft. I had told them all along that it would take another lottery pick for us to slide back. That’s when the conversations got started.”
At the time, the Hawks weren’t very committed to any trade prospects and thought any choice was going to be great.
Therefore, when Dallas came along with a deal for them, they went for it so they would have more draft selections in the future.
Since the deal went down, Doncic has had a stellar NBA career.
Right now he is putting up 25.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists a game – and this isn’t even his best season.
Luka Doncic has tied Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles before turning 23 with 38 triple-doubles.
Luka turns 23 next February. pic.twitter.com/TifriAuhrf
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 30, 2021
Doncic has been in the running for MVP multiple times and some predict he might actually pull it off this year.
There is no question that he’s leading the team and is the reason they are even in playoff contention.
It’s rare to see one player lead a team as much as Doncic does in Dallas.
Hawks With Young
Doncic is one of the best players in the league but that doesn’t mean the Hawks have done terribly with their part of the deal.
Young is one of the most sensational, explosive, and exciting players in the league as well.
He creates 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 9.3 assists a game and has been selected as an NBA All-Star as well.
Without a doubt, Young is a terrific basketball player and the Hawks are very, very happy with him.
Just last season, the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals while Doncic’s Mavericks struggled in the West.
This is partly because the Hawks have a much deeper roster than the Mavericks but it’s also because Young and Doncic are nearly even in terms of talent.
It’s true that the Hawks could possibly be a better team with Doncic instead of Young but it’s also true that they’re doing quite well – if not better – than Dallas with their current lineup.
In the end, the Hawks might regret missing out on some of the skills Doncic brings to the game but they luckily received a one-of-a-kind talent of their own in Young.
NEXT: Is John Collins A True Sidekick To Trae Young With Hawks?