Introduction
The NBA thrives on star power, and few things excite fans more than blockbuster trades and high-stakes draft lotteries. However, when outcomes seem to disproportionately favor certain teams—particularly large-market franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers—fans and analysts often cry foul, questioning whether the league manipulates results for profit or narrative. In this hypothetical scenario, we examine two jaw-dropping trades: the New Orleans Pelicans sending Anthony Davis to the Lakers and receiving the number one draft pick in the same summer, followed by the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers for another number one pick. These events would ignite debates about whether the NBA is rigged. Let’s break it down.
The Trades: A Closer Look
Pelicans Trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers
In this scenario, the Pelicans trade Anthony Davis, a generational talent, to the Lakers. In return, they receive a package that includes the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft that summer. On the surface, this trade seems plausible. Davis, a dominant two-way big man, would command a massive haul, and a top draft pick could be a cornerstone for rebuilding in New Orleans. Historically, the Pelicans traded Davis to the Lakers in 2019 for a package including Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and multiple draft picks, which was considered a fair deal at the time.
However, the timing raises eyebrows. For the Pelicans to receive the number one pick, they would either need to win the draft lottery themselves or acquire the pick from another team. The NBA Draft Lottery, introduced in 1985, uses a weighted system to give worse-performing teams better odds at top picks, but it’s not guaranteed. If New Orleans, a small-market team, secures the top pick and then trades Davis to a glamour franchise like the Lakers, fans might suspect the league orchestrated the outcome to boost Los Angeles’ star power.
Mavericks Trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers
The second trade is even more shocking: the Mavericks send Luka Dončić, one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, to the Lakers for another number one pick. Dončić, a perennial MVP candidate, is the face of Dallas basketball. Trading him would be unthinkable unless the Mavericks were rebuilding or faced extraordinary circumstances, such as Dončić demanding a trade. For Dallas to receive the number one pick in the same summer suggests either another lottery win or a complex trade involving a third team.
This scenario stretches credulity. Why would Dallas, a competitive team built around Dončić, trade their cornerstone for a single draft pick, even the top one? And how would the Lakers, after acquiring Davis, also secure the assets to land Dončić? The optics of two small-market teams (New Orleans and Dallas) sending their superstars to a big-market juggernaut like the Lakers, while both receiving number one picks, would fuel speculation that the NBA is pulling strings to create a Hollywood superteam.
The Draft Lottery: Luck or Manipulation?
The NBA Draft Lottery is a frequent target of rigging accusations. Since its inception, the lottery has produced surprising results, such as the New York Knicks winning the first-ever lottery in 1985 to draft Patrick Ewing, or the Cleveland Cavaliers landing the top pick in 2011, 2013, and 2014 after losing LeBron James. In our scenario, for both the Pelicans and Mavericks to receive number one picks in the same summer, the lottery would need to align perfectly—or suspiciously.
The lottery process is designed to be transparent. It’s conducted in a secure room with representatives from each team, audited by Ernst & Young, and uses a randomized ping-pong ball system. The odds are publicly disclosed: in 2025, the team with the worst record has a 14% chance at the top pick, with decreasing odds for better teams. Despite this, fans point to outcomes that seem narratively convenient, like the Lakers jumping to the fourth pick in 2019 (part of the Davis trade package) or the Pelicans winning the top pick to draft Zion Williamson in the same year.
If both New Orleans and Dallas secure number one picks in the same summer, the statistical improbability would raise red flags. The odds of two specific teams winning consecutive lotteries are slim, though not impossible. Without concrete evidence of tampering—such as leaked communications or whistleblower testimony—claims of rigging remain speculative.
Why the NBA Might Want a Lakers Superteam
The NBA is a business, and big-market teams like the Lakers drive revenue through TV ratings, merchandise, and global appeal. A Lakers roster featuring Anthony Davis and Luka Dončić would be a marketing dream, drawing casual fans and boosting the league’s visibility. Historically, the Lakers have benefited from high-profile acquisitions, from Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 to LeBron James in 2018. Critics argue the league has an incentive to funnel stars to Los Angeles to maximize profits.
However, this logic has flaws. The NBA also benefits from competitive balance. Small-market teams like the Milwaukee Bucks (with Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Denver Nuggets (with Nikola Jokić) have won recent championships, proving stars can thrive outside big markets. Rigging the system to favor the Lakers risks alienating fans of other teams, which could hurt long-term engagement. Moreover, the NBA’s salary cap and collective bargaining agreement limit teams’ ability to stockpile stars without creative roster management, making superteams harder to build organically.
Counterarguments: Why This Isn’t Rigging
While the scenario looks suspicious, there are rational explanations:
Player Agency: Stars like Davis and Dončić have significant control over their destinations. Davis famously requested a trade to the Lakers in 2019, and Dončić could theoretically do the same. Players often prefer big markets for endorsement opportunities and lifestyle, which could explain their moves to Los Angeles without league interference.
Lottery Luck: The draft lottery is random, and upsets happen. The Pelicans and Mavericks winning number one picks could simply be a statistical fluke, not manipulation. For example, the Orlando Magic won the top pick in 2022 despite having only a 14% chance.
Trade Logic: Both trades could make basketball sense. The Pelicans might see a number one pick as a chance to draft a new cornerstone, like a hypothetical generational talent. The Mavericks, if Dončić demanded a trade, might prioritize a top pick to rebuild rather than accept a lesser package. The Lakers, with their history of aggressive roster-building, could orchestrate these deals through savvy management, not league collusion.
Transparency Measures: The NBA has safeguards to prevent rigging. The lottery is audited, and trades are reviewed by the league to ensure compliance with salary cap rules. Any manipulation would require coordination among multiple parties, risking exposure in a highly scrutinized industry.
The Verdict
The hypothetical trades of Anthony Davis and Luka Dončić to the Lakers, paired with the Pelicans and Mavericks receiving number one picks, would undoubtedly spark accusations of rigging. The optics—two small-market teams sending their stars to a big-market powerhouse while winning lotteries—play into long-standing fan suspicions about the NBA’s integrity. However, without hard evidence, these outcomes are better explained by a mix of player agency, lottery luck, and strategic front-office decisions.
The NBA isn’t immune to criticism. Its draft lottery system and trade rules can produce results that feel unfair, and big-market teams often benefit from their allure to star players. But rigging the system would require a level of secrecy and coordination that seems implausible in a league with 30 competing franchises, intense media scrutiny, and independent audits. Fans may cry foul, but these blockbuster moves are more likely the result of the NBA’s chaotic, star-driven ecosystem than a grand conspiracy.
Conclusion
The NBA’s drama is part of its appeal, and scenarios like these trades fuel endless debate. While the idea of a rigged league makes for juicy speculation, the evidence points to a system driven by competition, chance, and human decisions—not a script written in a boardroom. So, is the NBA rigged? Probably not. But when the Lakers keep landing superstars, it’s easy to see why some fans might think otherwise.