Luka Doncic makes it clear he would never leave in return to Dallas, then proves the Mavs were wrong to trade him to the Lakers
The Luka Doncic trade was one of the most shocking pieces of news in modern sports history. Who would trade an elite, young player, who loves the city and the team? Well, the Dallas Mavericks did it, sending Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis and a future first-round […]
The Luka Doncic trade was one of the most shocking pieces of news in modern sports history. Who would trade an elite, young player, who loves the city and the team? Well, the Dallas Mavericks did it, sending Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis and a future first-round pick.
On Wednesday night, Doncic returned to Dallas for the first time since the trade happened. And you could feel how fans are still hurt—and how hard it will be for general manager Nico Harrison to overcome this move.
First, the Mavs showed him a tribute video, talking about his history with the organization. Doncic was visibly emotional, a clear sign that he would never have left the Mavericks if they wanted to keep him.
And then, Doncic did what he does best. It was his best individual performance for the Lakers, dropping 45 points, with eight rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes. He led a Lakers' 112-97 win, getting them a win away from securing the third place in the Western Conference.
"The moment with the tribute video and him sitting by himself and getting to actually live that and live in the moment and allowing himself to be vulnerable," said Lakers head coach JJ Redick. "His ability to then go perform, lights turn on, he's teary-eyed still as we walk out on the court for the tip ball. To have the emotional resolve to then put on that kind of performance, it’s superhuman."
The Lakers also had 27 points from LeBron James, 15 from Rui Hachimura, and 11 from Austin Reaves.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis wasn't that big of a fator. He played 33 minutes, with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Naji Marshall led Dallas with 23 points. The other player acquired by the Mavs from the Lakers was Max Christie, who played 28 minutes and had 11 points.
Ahead of the game, Doncic talked to the Los Angeles Times about the narrative around his trade. After the deal was done, the Mavericks indicated they had concerns about his work ethic and weight, which the star player addressed when talking to Dan Woike.
"They have no idea," Doncic said. "I didn't end up here by mistake, you know? I worked my ass off to be here. So it's kinda, I would say disrespectful, just sad that people say that."
Since he was acquired by the Lakers, Doncic has played 27 games, averaging 27.8 points with a 43% field goal and 37.3% three-point efficiency, plus 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists per night.
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