The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world on Saturday by sending their franchise superstar, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. For years, Doncic was seen as the rightful successor to Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki.
What made the trade even more surprising was that the Mavericks actively pursued a deal for Doncic before reaching out to the Lakers. Reports indicate that Dallas had approached at least one other team with a trade offer for the Slovenian star, but the proposal was rejected.
Luka Doncic’s father, Sasa Doncic, addressed the trade during an appearance on Slovenian television. Sasa expressed his disappointment and called out certain individuals within the Mavericks organization for how they handled the situation.
“I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy, this hurts me personally. Because I think that Luka absolutely doesn’t deserve this. I feel like this is very unfair from some individuals because I know that Luka respected Dallas a lot. He respected the whole city and helped children,” Sasa said.
Luka’s dad about the trade 🐍 #nba #lukadoncic #lukadoncictrade pic.twitter.com/muWUDKaxlT
— Arena Sport Slovenija (@ArenaSport_SI) February 2, 2025
“It wasn’t even a problem last year since, I am saying again, one individual said he’s not fit enough. I feel that this is very unfair from certain individuals. You traded him, stand by your actions, but don’t look for excuses,” he added.
Luka Doncic’s Trade Stuns Mavs Legend Dirk Nowitzki
The shocking trade of Luka Doncic left the entire NBA world in disbelief, including Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki. The former Mavs star was caught off guard by the sudden move and shared his reaction in a post on X.
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— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) February 2, 2025
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news, but it was so unexpected that many fans initially believed Charania’s account had been hacked.
Beyond the surprise, the trade had a significant financial impact on Doncic. By being moved to Los Angeles, he lost out on a massive $116 million. This summer, Doncic was eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax extension. However, with the trade, that opportunity is now gone.
