Basketball Hall of Fame member Dirk Nowitzki admitted he, like most everyone else, was shocked that the Dallas Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade earlier this month.

The Trail Blazers would likely want to make room to have more minutes for Donovan Clingan, who they recently selected early in the 2024 NBA Draft. For the Lakers, meanwhile, Ayton could have at least some tangible valuable as a player who has postseason experience and tremendous size on the inside.

Irving, who was acquired by Dallas in 2023 from the Brooklyn Nets, is in the second season of his three-year, $120 million contract (player option for 2025-26 season). Now, the Mavericks face another massive financial decision this offseason regarding Kyrie Irving’s future.