This past February, the National Basketball Association (NBA) faced exciting and shocking trades: Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat frontman Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors.

Both players have had major successes in their NBA careers so far, boasting titles given to the league’s best players, such as conference finals MVP or Rookie of the Year. In addition to these impressive titles, however, they have both made a huge impact on the sport, making their trades especially significant.

Doncic, for example, has played for the Dallas Mavericks since the start of his NBA career in 2018 and has also been a part of the Slovenian National Basketball team (ranked No. 11 in the International Basketball Federation) since the age of 18. Having made it to the NBA Finals last year, while averaging almost 30 points per game, Doncic’s impact is undeniable as he has made himself one of the faces of the NBA. His success in the league has brought many new Slovenian fans, who were previously unfamiliar with the Mavericks.

Because of his role as such a key player for the Dallas Mavericks and his large contract that was signed just a couple years earlier, many were shocked and confused as to why the Mavericks gave up Doncic. Some pointed fingers at Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison for the trade, with fans believing that his frustration towards the Mavericks’ lackluster defense led to the trade. Fans, however, began to speculate that Doncic’s unruly behavior off the court led to the two parting ways, with many believing that the team had become concerned about Doncic’s poor habits.

When asked about what caused this trade to happen, boys’ varsity basketball coach Jerry Etienne shares his thoughts: “The Mavericks were betting that Luka’s body would break down and his career would be less strong.”

Luka Doncic, however, is only 26 years old, so they will undoubtedly miss out on some of his prime years. Plus, it is a huge bet considering that Anthony Davis, received by the Mavericks, might be on his way out, as he is past his prime and on the other side of 30.

After switching teams to the Lakers, it is apparent that they pulled off an all-time heist. Sina Siddiqi (V) shares, “Luka Doncic’s future [on the Lakers] is incredibly bright, especially with LeBron James and other stars by his side.”

Surrounded by some of the best players in the NBA, Doncic will undoubtedly rise to even more success than he’s had in the past few years.

Coach Etienne predicts that because of this trade, “the Lakers will definitely win another championship before the Mavericks.”

Jimmy Butler’s trade, on the other hand, did not come as much of a surprise to most fans. It was known that he had wanted to leave Miami for a while, so when the news broke that he had been traded to the Golden State Warriors, it had already been anticipated for some time.

Regarding the Butler trade, boys’ varsity basketball athlete Will White (III) remarks, “I expected Jimmy Butler to get traded, so I was not very surprised to hear about his trade. I had heard things about Butler wanting to be traded before the trade took place.”

Although the effects of this trade will assuredly be less impactful than those of Doncic’s trade, many believe that the Warriors “won” this trade.

Siddiqi comments that the Warriors “have clearly benefited, securing a star that was bound to leave Miami after December. It was a smart move for both Butler and the Warriors.”

This trade is sure to have an impact on future seasons, since the Warriors have benefitted more than the Miami Heat as they have needed another player to work with superstar Steph Curry.

As for the Miami Heat, who received Andrew Wiggins as a part of the trade for Butler, White speculates that Wiggins “will have a [more] positive impact on the team [than Jimmy Butler],” especially because Butler had expressed his desire to leave the Heat after a while.

With three more weeks until the NBA Playoffs, Doncic and Butler will be key assets to each of their respective teams, with millions of fans on the edge of their seats watching the effects of the recent trades play out.