The Los Angeles Lakers fans might want to add another chant on top of their “Thank you Nico” chants.
They can also thank their latest victim — the Minnesota Timberwolves — for paving the way for them to land Luka Dončić.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Timberwolves, who lost to the Lakers 111-102 on Thursday, Feb. 27, were the other team the Dallas Mavericks approached for a Dončić deal.
“While this spicy what-if scenario never gained any traction, league sources tell The Athletic that the Mavericks and Timberwolves informally discussed the prospect of swapping Dončić for 23-year-old, three-time All-Star Anthony Edwards in the weeks before the Lakers deal went down. More specifically, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison reached out to the Timberwolves and asked if there was any chance they’d be willing to trade Edwards. He was promptly told no. The Timberwolves, league sources say, were stunned that Dallas was contemplating parting ways with Dončić,” Amick wrote.
Ultimately, the Mavericks shipped Dončić to the Lakers for the injury-prone and soon-to-be-32 Anthony Davis, along with Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
Luka Continues to Foil Timberwolves
Were the Timberwolves right in passing up on the chance to acquire Dončić and stick with Edwards? Only time will tell.
But aside from foiling them in the Western Conference Finals last season, Dončić again inflicted damage to the Timberwolves on the night Edwards blew his top and got ejected.
On the eve of his 26th birthday, Dončić overcame another poor shooting performance — 1-of-9 from the 3-point line — to help the Lakers win their fifth in seven games since he joined them. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists and more importantly, he was a plus-21 in 36 minutes.
In contrast, Edwards hit the showers early with his ejection in the third quarter, exiting the game with minus-13 plus-minus in 26 minutes. The 23-year-old Timberwolves star, who earlier said he doesn’t want to be the face of the NBA, finished with just 18 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Anthony Edwards on Not Wanting To Be the Face of NBA
Edwards was thrown out after picking up his second technical foul with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter. He threw the ball in the stands out of frustration after his ejection.
Edwards is in danger of getting a one-game suspension if both technical fouls will be upheld as he already reached the league limit of 16.
During the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, Edwards made headlines when he said he doesn’t want to be the face of the NBA.
“Not really,” Edwards said during his media availability. “That’s what they got Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) for.”
Edwards doubled down on this when he joined the NBA TV panel later that weekend.
“Well, I’m capable of being that guy,” he told the NBA TV crew. “But I don’t want to be that guy, put it like that. I want to be the guy to just show up and hoop and just kill dudes and go home.”
LeBron Reacts to Ant’s Bold Statement
LeBron James, who was the face of the NBA for a long time, somehow agreed with Edwards on his position of not wanting to burden himself with the massive responsibility of carrying the league.
“Ant already said he doesn’t want it. He ain’t trying to deal with that shit,” James told reporters after they beat the Timberwolves. “I mean, Channing Frye said it the other day, too. Like, I mean, it’s unfortunate, but, like, why do you want to be the face of a league when all the all to put all the people that you know that cover our game and talk about our game on a day to day basis shit on everybody?
“To have that responsibility, it’s just weird. It’s weird energy. Channing, he said it perfectly. [He] Couldn’t said it no better, but Ant said he don’t want it. I didn’t ask for it, but I knew there was a responsibility for me, not only to my family, my friends, my community and whoever that was going to follow my journey throughout my career, not only in Ohio, but I started there, but all over America and all over world.
“I’ve always taken that seriously and understood from the beginning what being a professional was all about and being a role model is all about. So try to hold that with the utmost respect and honor, but I feel Ant. I understand, I completely understand this weird energy when it comes to this.”
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