Just 4 years ago, the Dallas Mavericks had Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson on the roster with the money to keep both of them for the foreseeable future.
In 2026, neither player now plays for the Mavericks, with Doncic traded to the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the 2024-24 season and Brunson leaving for a 4-year, $104 million free-agent contract before the 2022-23 season.
Something else Doncic and Brunson have in common is that they were both All-NBA Team picks in 2026 and are both multiple-time All-Stars.
While losing Doncic and the drama surrounding that has been studied ad nauseam, and multiple books are currently being written about the trade, the real twist of the knife came when Brunson led the Knicks to the 2026 NBA championship, scoring 45 points in a series-clinching road win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on the way to being named NBA Finals MVP.
It was the 1st title for the Knicks since 1973, and it’s not hard to envision an alternate reality in which Brunson and Doncic are hoisting a Larry O’Brien Trophy for the Mavericks.
Alas, Dallas dropped the bag in the most outrageous way possible.
“Is having Luka and Brunson on the same team… and losing them both the biggest disaster in sports history?” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account on June 13.
Brunson’s Finals MVP Likely Guarantees HOF Spot
In the history of the NBA Finals MVP award, which dates back to 1969, all but 1 player former MVP who is eligible has made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame — Boston Celtics forward Cedric Maxwell, who was named NBA Finals MVP in 1981.
“Words can’t describe it, but I’ll say I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win,” Brunson told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps following the Game 5 win over the Spurs. “Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day. I think that means the most to me. And my family.”
Brunson and Doncic were actually selected in the same draft — Doncic in the 1st round (No. 3 overall) and Brunson 30 picks later at No. 33 overall in the 2nd round.
Winning the NBA title completed an incredible run of championships on every level for Brunson.
As a prep star at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, he led his school to a Class 4A state championship as a senior in 2015. He then won 2 national championships in 3 seasons at Villanova, as a freshman in 2016, then again in 2018, when he was named National College Player of the Year and a consensus All-American.
NBA Finals MVPs: Not Always on 1st Team
Over the last decade, the NBA Finals MVP has been won more often than not by a player not with his original team.
In the last 10 years, it’s been won 6 times by players on their 2nd or 3rd team, beginning with consecutive Finals MVPs for Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant (2017 and 2018), Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2019), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (2020), Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025), and Brunson.
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