A new report offers up a strong warning for Los Angeles Lakers fans believing their team fleeced the Dallas Mavericks in their blockbuster trade for young superstar Luka Doncic.
The Lakers have built a huge reputation for acquiring elite stars from other teams. From Wilt Chamberlain to Shaquille O’Neal, quite a few LA legends were stars somewhere else before they landed in LaLa Land. And the organization believes they have another one on their hands in former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic.
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In one of the most stunning moves in NBA history, Dallas decided they no longer wanted the player viewed as one of the top three in the sport and decided to trade him to Los Angeles earlier this month. What made the whole situation even more bizarre was that the Mavs only negotiated with the Lakers and the return they got was well below what they could have received if they opened up a bidding war for Doncic.
It has created a narrative that the Los Angeles Lakers fleeced the Dallas Mavericks in the trade. And their negotiating savvy was too much for Mavs general manager Nico Harrison to deal with. However, stories continue to leak out on why Dallas was willing to move on from a 25-year-old superstar who probably hasn’t even hit his prime.
Earlier this week, another report emerged on why Luka Doncic’s team soured on their homegrown star. And it should be a wakeup call warning for LA fans.
- Luka Doncic stats (2024-25): 26.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 7.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 34% 3PT
Los Angeles Lakers headed to catastrophe with Luka Doncic in next five years?
“The people who witnessed Dončić’s last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old’s professionalism,” The Athletic NBA insider Sam Amick wrote this week. “They call him lazy. They talk about the weight issues that were such a frequent frustration within their walls. They mention the social habits that. Such as a taste for beer and hookah. Which have been a point of concern for NBA types since he was a 19-year-old star for Real Madrid who was entering the draft.
“They predict his basketball demise. Highlighting a health history that, as some see it, will likely lead to catastrophe in the next five years or so,” he added. “Harrison’s personal journey adds an even deeper layer to the discussion. He rose to prominence as the trusted shoe representative for the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. And, thus, clearly decided that Doncic didn’t fit the ‘Mamba Mentality’ bill.”
- Luka Doncic contract: Five years, $215 million
Questions about Doncic’s dedication to being the best version of himself have been talked about in basketball circles for years. However, it is hard to deny that whatever the star guard is doing is working. After carrying the Mavericks to two Western Conference Finals and an NBA Finals appearance during his career.
But that might also be the concern. And if he does not see any problems, he will continue to develop habits that will lead to huge problems as he gets older. His penchant for catching the injury bug every season is also undeniable. He has only played in 70 or more games twice in his seven-year career.
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