NBA executives are reportedly questioning why Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison didn’t shop Luka Dončić around the league before sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.

According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, “several sources who spoke to ESPN wondered why Dallas wouldn’t have canvassed the league to see how much it could get for Dončić if they wanted to move him; many thought the Mavs clearly would’ve been able to get more in return.”

As one Western Conference executive told Bontemps: “Nico must really love Anthony Davis.”

The blockbuster trade, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday night, brought Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks as part of a three-team trade involving the Utah Jazz.

Charania added that it was the Mavericks, not the Lakers, who instigated the trade.

Early reports indicate it was not widely known around the NBA that the Mavericks were considering trading Dončić. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported that he had “never seen so many team executives not involved in this trade stunned.”

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Harrison “did not make Dončić available to interested teams for the richest possible haul of draft picks” in part because he had already decided to target Davis.

Even from the Lakers, the Mavericks could have theoretically gotten a larger return for a 25-year-old superstar who led the NBA in scoring last season. Prior to the trade Los Angeles held three tradable first-round picks in 2029, 2030 and 2031, as previously reported by ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Although the Lakers couldn’t trade picks taking place in back-to-back seasons, the team could have sent out both the 2029 and 2031 selection in the same deal, Marks noted.

Bontemps reported that “several sources expressed shock to learn that Dallas acquired only the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick and didn’t get the 2031 pick as well.”

“Many couldn’t believe the Lakers once again fell into a generational talent, or the fact that Dallas was willing to give up Dončić in the first place,” Bontemps wrote.

Dončić hasn’t played since Christmas Day, but his lingering left calf injury hadn’t changed the league-wide belief he would be sticking around in Dallas after leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals last spring.

Instead Dončić will continue his injury recovery in Los Angeles as the Lakers prepare for him to make his debut alongside LeBron James.