[Slater] League sources indicate that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be at the “front of the line” in Simmons’ buyout sweepstakes should the Nets part ways with the veteran.

[Begley] The Dallas Mavericks were very aggressive in trying to assemble a deal for Kevin Durant at the deadline, but weren't able to get it over the line

[Robbins] The Wizards and Bucks have continued to discuss a potential trade centered around sending Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to Milwaukee for Khris Middleton and rookie AJ Johnson, and including some exchange of a draft pick or picks, league sources tell @davidaldridgedc and me.

You're facing Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, it's the 4th quarter and you need a game winning drive. Who do you want at QB?

[Slater] Steph Curry on the Luka Dončić trade: “It’s a reminder that there are only a few in this league that can go to sleep with any type of confidence.”

[Franko]“A person close to the situation described this trade as the ultimate Harrison power trip, calling him a power-hungry man. Another observer said Harrison removed anyone who held a different view.“

[Goldsberry] The Luka Dončić deal originally included multiple first-round picks, Dalton Knecht, and more, but was chiseled down after Rob Pelinka was able to convince Nico Harrison that taking on Luka Dončić was a big risk due to his weight and injury history.

Nico Harrison when asked how this trade helps the Mavericks long term: "The future to me is 3-4 years from now. 10 years from now I don't know. They probably bury me and J[ason Kidd] by then. Or we bury ourselves."

[Gallagher] Nico just said Luka gave no indication he wanted out or wouldn't sign an extension moving forward. He also said the Lakers were they only team he talked to. He's saying this directly into a microphone.

Since the ABA/NBA merger (1976-77), the only players that made 5 All-NBA first teams in their first 6 seasons: Larry Bird, George Gervin, Tim Duncan and Luka Doncic. That's it. 3 of those players stayed with their teams almost their entire careers (Larry and Tim never left). The other is Luka.

Ashley Nichole Moss believes the Mavericks aren’t done making moves: “I'd be interested if Anthony Davis is a piece that ultimately the Mavericks potentially use to try to get Jimmy Butler.”

[Townsend] Nico Harrison: "We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer. And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”

[Townsend] Nico Harrison told The News that he and Lakers counterpart Rob Pelinka began having "basketball" conversations MORE THAN A MONTH AGO. “Then all of a sudden we’re like, ‘Would you ever do this?’ ‘Nah, you’re joking, right?’ ‘Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would.’

[Brad Townsend] Harrison said he did text and leave a phone message for Doncic. “My guess is he probably doesn’t want to talk to me,”

You’re an unserious person if you’re trying to justify the Mavs doing this

Will it be enough to justify the AD-Luka trade if the Mavs win it all this year? Two years?

How did the Lakers get more for a 31 year old AD than the Pelicans got for a 26 year old AD?

[Townsend] I'm told that this was Nico Harrison's deal, that it took several weeks to play out after the Mavericks reached out to the Lakers, and that Harrison got full support from Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont.

[Gozlan] The Mavericks should remain a good team, but for how long? The concern here is their outgoing draft picks:

What’s worse: Drafting Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley over Luka without the power of hindsight? Or trading Luka for Anthony Davis with the knowledge of how good he already is?

[Spears] The Lakers will always make sure they have a showstopper on their roster. And after LeBron James departs or retires, they have their next one in Luka Doncic.

[Stein] Luka Dončić did NOT request a trade, league sources tell @TheSteinLine . The Mavericks did this on their own accord, getting back Anthony Davis but only one future first-round pick from the Lakers in 2029 for a 25-year-old regarded as a future MVP.

[McMahon] The Mavs had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN.

[MacMahon] “I believe that defense wins championships,” Mavs GM Nico Harrison told ESPN regarding his motivation to trade Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance.

[Stein] Dončić has been informed of the trade, I'm told, which was agreed upon late Saturday and immediately ranks as one of the most stunning trade thunderbolts in NBA history