Welcome to the Dallas Buyers Club.
Blooming in the Garden for what may be his last season, Dallas Mavericks, NBA legend and the greatest European player of all-time Dirk Nowitzki had a reverse of his jersey with 14 points in a coming alive win in the Mecca of the Big Apple.
But as Dallas left New York and the Knicks they may as well have left some of their personnel there and took some ‘bockers back with them to the Lone State on their team bus. As only a day later the Mavs where involved with a Times Square big, blockbuster trade that had deadline wrote all over it. Even weeks before the actual All Star break, trade deadline day. All whilst Magic and the Lakers were trying to pull their entire young core (don’t do it Earv’) out the hat to deal with New Orleans for Anthony Davis without even asking for fellow ‘cat and former player Julius Randle in return.
The Knicks got the expiring contracts of two, still big players in Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan (surprisingly someone the Mavs had been after for years (you remember the 11th hour turnaround on his free agent decision from the Clippers when Doc and Chris Paul rolled up at his house like Magic outside of the Kings an hour before free agency began (it ain’t tampering if you’re just waiting in his drive))) and has been huge this season. As well as their kicker, Dennis Smith Jr. The sophomore stud who now from under the shadow of Rookie of the Year, All-Star and MVP candidate sensation Luka Doncic gets to be his own man on his own team of young flyers like ‘Zo, Knox and Mudiay. And possibly even the new King of New York now the former one has vacated his throne like Carmelo Anthony.
Because in return Dallas buy a lot with this Maverick move. They get capable contributers Trey Burke and Courtney Lee. Not to mention somewhere between a role player and an All Star, veteran son Tim Hardaway Jr. who has been bounced back and forth from New York’s Penn Station more than Greyhound buses. Oh and some guy called Kristaps Porzingis too.
Wait…what?! Or “wow” and “damn” as every CP3 tweet coming out the NBA timeline read last night.
Now that’s a Maverick.
Dirk once said he “wished he could get to know” Kristaps more. Porzingis returning the compliment said he desired to be on Nowitzki’s level one day. Well now the pair of unicorn bigs have a chance to do all that and more…for the rest of the season anyway. As ‘taps, ‘zki and the wunderkid of Luka (who used to do epic, Euroleague battle with the new Mav) as a Texan titan trio like the three points on these Lone Star triangle teams of the N.B.A. look to form the best European big-three ever for as long and good as it lasts. As a matter of fact save Drazen and with all due respect to both Gasol brothers, these three making history may go down as the Holy Trinity, three greatest European players of all-time when it’s all said and done. Before Porzingis and Doncic become a one-two punch that spells dynasty once the number 41 goes up to the hoop heavens.
And we can’t wait to see how it all plays out in Texas of all states, the new hub of Eurostepping international talent taking over the Association it now owns.
Both teams in this Titanic trade gained significant depth. And even though both took their hat out the A.D. ring and put it back on the coat rack as they whistled away like Abe Simpson, neither came off with an L. Sure the Knicks lost Kristaps, their once and future King. But they also opened the free agent door sweepstakes for another one.
Now they can talk about Kevin Durant.
Let the Summer games begin.
