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Latest On Luka Doncic

February 3rd 2025 at 8:08am CST by Arthur Hill

Nearly as surprising as the Luka Doncic trade itself is the fact that Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka were able to keep their negotiations a complete secret for more than three weeks. In the social media age when everything seems to get leaked online, Harrison and Pelinka managed to gradually construct the framework of a deal after broaching the subject for the first time in a face-to-face meeting on January 7.

In his latest Substack column (subscription required), Marc Stein reveals that Mavericks majority owner Patrick Dumont and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss were the only other people aware that a Doncic trade was being actively discussed. Instead of announcing his intentions to the entire league and creating a bidding war for Doncic, Harrison focused on landing Anthony Davis, who was his preferred target since talks began.

While Harrison defended the deal and explained his motivations during a press conference on Sunday, Stein states that there is “loud surprise” throughout the league that he wasn’t able to land both of the Lakers’ available first-round picks in exchange for a 25-year-old superstar. L.A. sent its 2029 first-rounder to Dallas, but hung on to its 2031 pick to help upgrade the roster in other areas.

Despite outside speculation that the Mavs needed to keep Doncic happy heading into his next contract, Stein believes Harrison and ownership eventually decided that they weren’t happy with him. Harrison talked Sunday about the need for players who “fit the culture,” implying that Doncic wasn’t viewed that way anymore.

Stein hears that management was turned off by Doncic’s decision to hire his own team of training experts heading into the 2023/24 season, even though it was at his own expense. That group, which handled his medical and nutritional needs, gained unexpected power in the organization after longtime athletic trainer Casey Smith was removed from his day-to-day duties in August 2023, Stein adds.

Stein points out that in his insistence on culture, Harrison prefers players that he’s familiar with. That includes Davis, whom he knows well through their Nike connections, as well as Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington, whom Harrison added in recent trades after becoming the GM.

Harrison emphasized on Sunday that the decision to bring Davis to Dallas is entirely his and he doesn’t consider it to be risky. He is aware of the backlash from angry Mavericks fans, but he’s confident they’ll eventually come to understand why the deal was made.

“I’m sorry they are frustrated. It’s something we believe in as an organization that’s going to make us better,” Harrison said. “We believed it sets us up to win not only now but in the future. And when we win, I believe the frustration will go away.”

There’s more fallout from the Doncic trade:

  • Parting with Doncic hasn’t affected the Mavericks’ plans to sign Irving to an extension this summer, Stein adds. He has a $44MM player option for next season, but that will likely turn into a long-term deal as he and Davis are now the cornerstones of the franchise.
  • Doncic’s father, Sasa, had sharp criticism for the Mavericks in an interview with Arena Sport Slovenia, according to Stein. He accused the team of “secrecy” and “hypocrisy,” adding that it’s “really unfair from certain people from Dallas.”
  • The Lakers celebrated Doncic’s arrival in Los Angeles late Sunday night with a series of tweets showing him departing his flight and meeting with Pelinka. Doncic offered a message on Twitter, stating, “Grateful for this amazing opportunity. Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion and goal – to win championships.”
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