For decades, NBA teams treated young franchise superstars as untouchable. That perception changed the moment the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025. Sixteen months later, LaMelo Ball’s blockbuster move to Minnesota has reignited the debate over whether any franchise player is truly off limits anymore.

One longtime NBA voice believes the answer is already clear. Speaking on the June 26 episode of Nightcap alongside Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, LeBron James’ close friend Shannon Sharpe argued that Dallas permanently changed the way front offices think about superstar trades.

“Now that they traded Luka Doncic, he’s a six-time First-Team All-NBA selection. Once they traded Luka, the NBA was on notice. Everybody in the NBA was on notice. They traded a 25-year-old guy who was a five-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year and a top-five MVP candidate every single year, and they moved him. So I’m not surprised by this,” Sharpe said.

The shock wasn’t simply that Doncic was traded it was who he was when it happened. At just 25 years old, he had already earned five consecutive First-Team All-NBA selections, won Rookie of the Year and led Dallas to the NBA Finals less than a year earlier. No player with that combination of age, résumé and long-term contract control had ever been traded without first requesting a move.

By the time Sharpe made those comments, Doncic had added a sixth consecutive First-Team All-NBA honor, joining LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Oscar Robertson and Bob Pettit as the only players in NBA history to reach that mark before turning 27. That distinction only reinforced Sharpe’s point: if a player of Doncic’s stature could be moved, anyone could.

Ball’s profile only strengthened Sharpe’s argument. After finally putting together a healthy season, the 24-year-old averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists across 72 games. Not long ago, a player entering his prime with that résumé would have been viewed as the face of a franchise rather than a trade asset.

But Charlotte’s decision wasn’t based on production alone. Ball becomes eligible on July 6 for a two-year, $119.2 million extension on top of the three years remaining on his current contract, pushing the franchise toward a long-term financial commitment approaching $250 million. Combined with concerns over his injury history and defensive limitations, the Hornets chose to capitalize on his highest trade value rather than commit further.

Luka Doncic in the Los Angeles Lakers

The Doncic trade triggered immediate backlash across the NBA. Suns star Kevin Durant admitted the deal showed “anybody can be up for grabs,” while Devin Booker echoed that sentiment by saying the league had entered unfamiliar territory. Even Tristan Thompson questioned how a player widely viewed as untouchable could be moved without warning.

Dallas’ gamble quickly unraveled. Anthony Davis suffered a left adductor strain in his Mavericks debut before Kyrie Irving tore his ACL a month later, leaving the reigning Western Conference champions to miss the postseason. General manager Nico Harrison, who defended the trade as a basketball decision centered on defense, was fired by owner Patrick Dumont in November 2025.

Whether Ball’s move ultimately works out for Minnesota remains to be seen. But Sharpe believes the NBA crossed a permanent line the moment Dallas proved that even a generational superstar could become available under the right circumstances.