The Luka Doncic and De’Andre Fox trades show that teams need star power to get to where they want to go.
The Washington Wizards rarely are in the national NBA picture unless it is about the 2025 NBA Draft or just how bad the team will be. And this week’s SB Nation Reacts surveys show that. While the Wizards were heavily involved in many trades, none of the survey questions focused on them. That’s because they centered around the two biggest trades of the deadline period: the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks swapping Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic; and the San Antonio Spurs acquiring De’Andre Fox in a mega trade that also involved the Chicago Bulls.
Fans were first asked if the Mavericks received a fair trade for Doncic. The vast majority, or 83 percent said no.
NBA fans across the country believe the Mavs were fleeced in the Luka Doncic – Anthony Davis trade. pic.twitter.com/xcvdBo0q53
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) February 8, 2025
The fans nationwide also believe that Doncic will win a title before the Mavericks, who are still the defending Western Conference champions.
And fans think that Doncic will win a title first. pic.twitter.com/ejianB6izx
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) February 8, 2025
Fans nationwide also believe that the Doncic trade was by far the most impactful in the league. The Wizards-Milwaukee Bucks trade involving Khris Middleton and Kyle Kuzma was way down the list.
But the Doncic trade is still impactful either way. pic.twitter.com/tp0k8ackHO
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) February 8, 2025
With Fox now on the Spurs, national fans believe that San Antonio will another NBA championship within five years. After all, they already have Victor Wembanyama.
De’Aaron Fox was another player who was involved in a major trade where he’s now with the Spurs. Now it looks like the “GO SPURS GO” movement is back. pic.twitter.com/BpQNEU6KxH
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) February 8, 2025
Though there was a lot of player movement at the NBA trade deadline, fans still believe that the Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites to win it all this year.
It’s still the Thunder’s title to lose, according to fans of course. pic.twitter.com/GWRUdSlBmo
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) February 8, 2025
According to FanDuel, the Thunder are NOT the favorites at +230. The favorites are the defending champion Boston Celtics at +195.
We won’t discuss the Wizards’ chances, which are still mathematically, though not practically possible.
If there’s a moral to the story that the Wizards can take away from the national survey this week, it’s important to note that in order to trade for star players, they need star players of their own. It will happen again sooner or later, but it is still very clear that the Wizards are still early in rebuild mode.