NBA Trade Rumors: Anthony Davis' True Market Value of Up To 5 FRPs Justifies Luka Doncic Trade

The NBA community remains baffled by Luka Doncic's trade to the LA Lakers for Anthony Davis, which fetched only one first-round pick to the Dallas Mavericks. Desmond Bane's move to the Orlando Magic reignited those talks after the Memphis Grizzlies bagged four first-round picks in the deal.

However, one of the key differences was the market value of the players involved in the trades. In the Davis-Doncic trade, the Mavericks got an older superstar in return, who is a bona fide All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive Player under contract for three more years. On the other hand, the Grizzlies secured role players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony from the Magic.

NBA insider Shams Charania pointed out these decisive factors in the involvement of picks in trades on Pat McAfee's show on Tuesday, also citing the Mikal Bridges-Knicks trade with five picks and Bojan Bogdanovic.

"Last year we saw Mikal Bridges go for, what was it, five first-round picks and the Nets got Bojan Bogdanovic," Charania said. He was not a player for the Nets this season. He was a non-factor ... In this case [Bane to Magic], you give up Desmond Bane, you get four first-round picks, and a swap.

"And at that point, you get two players who can help you now a little bit, but they're doing this deal because of the haul of draft picks. You think about Luka Doncic, the Anthony Davis trade, if you put Anthony Davis on the open market right now, he's fetching you four, five first-round picks."

Charania added that the market is either trading for a bona fide All-Star player or picks in return.

---

The shock of Luka Doncic trade overshadowed Anthony Davis' true market value

It's easier to forget how valued Anthony Davis was before his trade to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. The Slovenian All-Star was traded overnight unexpectedly, and that triggered the league-wide talks surrounding the lack of picks. Doncic was coming off a finals run, too. While he might be a better player than Davis, the former Lakers big was playing at a top-seven level for the past three seasons.

He has been in the conversation as the best two-way player or best two-way center in the NBA during that phase. However, objectively, if the Lakers were to trade Davis elsewhere without taking any proven superstar like Doncic in return, Davis alone would have been worth a haul of first-round picks, as Shams Charania mentioned.

He's more proven than players of Desmond Bane and Mikal Bridges' caliber, who fetched a combined nine first-round picks with lesser talented role players as part of the package.

The Lakers essentially gave up one first-round pick and another young rising 3-and-D prospect in Max Christie to balance the trade, specifically because Doncic was the better and younger player than Davis.

However, it would be unjust to count out Davis as a vital piece on a championship contender. The Mavericks may have a shorter window with Davis, but they are still in contention to win titles with him as one of their leading players.