Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[mvossman]

For me, this doesn't change anything, either way. I know that sounds crazy, but here's where I am with it: 

I have grown to respect Kyrie, and after being horrified by the trade to bring him in, I've come around completely. I'm glad they made that trade (less so now, but that's not his fault). He's a hell of a player, too. 

However, I don't consider Kyrie "a Maverick," at least not to an extent that makes me want to root for the team. My allegiance, at this point, is based on decades of Mavs fandom. There really isn't a "star" here I care about anymore. I love Lively and PJW, and I suppose I can grow to love some others who are here, but I now feel as I would've felt after Dirk's retirement had Luka not overlapped with him, despite Kyrie and AD being on the team. 

Further, I do not believe that Kyrie and AD are the nucleus of a championship team, so while I'll probably watch to see how all this plays out, I am expecting this not to result in a championship. It honestly doesn't matter to me whether we figure out it won't work this summer, by the next trade deadline, whatever. I'm already there in my heart.

I mean, if you have any Mavs fandom left (not sure that I do) then you have to be terrified of Kyrie leaving.  If he bails you have no way to replace him and this team is likely lottery bound for the foreseeable future without control of any of their first round picks.  I see little hope for this team both short term and long term, but Kyrie bailing would be the final nail in the coffin.