Luka Doncic assures he's 'happy here' in Dallas playing for the Mavericks
Luka Doncic quieted any trade rumors in his exit interview following the Mavericks’ final loss of the season to the Spurs on Sunday.
DALLAS — Luka Doncic didn't want the message to get twisted — he's happy playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
In his exit interview following the Mavericks' 138-117 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in the American Airlines Center, Doncic quieted the rumor that he could request a trade if the Mavs don't get things right, which was first reported by ESPN on Saturday.
"I saw the report," Doncic said with a slight smile. "Somebody said I was going to request a trade. It's funny because I didn't know it was true… I didn't say it."
The original possible trade request was reported by Tim MacMahon in an ESPN story that was published over the weekend.
In that story, MacMahon suggested that Dallas' clock was ticking and that the franchise feels a sense of fear that Doncic's disappointment in this season — if it carried over to the future — could result in a trade request in 2024.
"Team sources have acknowledged to ESPN that fear exists that Doncic, who publicly and privately expressed extreme frustration this season, could consider requesting a trade as soon as the summer of 2024 if Dallas doesn't make significant progress by then," MacMahon wrote.
The trade speculation came in the wake of a week where team governor Mark Cuban indicated that after waving the white flag on the season, Dallas has to earn Doncic's loyalty.
"He'd like to be here the whole time," Cuban said this week when asked about Doncic's long-term optimism. "But we've got to earn that."
Immediately following the Mavs officially being eliminated from the postseason, trade rumors about Doncic and speculation around Kyrie Irving's return next season swirled.
Theo Pinson, who notched a 23-point, 13-rebound, and 12-assist triple-double against the Spurs, came to the defense of the Mavs' star duo and gave kindling to the assertion that the likelihood of Irving's return alongside Doncic was high.
Then came Sunday afternoon, when Doncic quieted any rumor that he would be on the first bus out of town. He detailed that he's "happy" in Dallas, and he is in no rush to request a trade anytime soon.
"There is nothing to worry about," Doncic said. "I am happy here."
So, from Doncic himself, he will be back in Dallas to stay, regardless of what "sources" say.
The Mavs finished 38-44 and 11th in the Western Conference, the franchise's first losing season since Doncic's rookie year in 2017-18.
