Luka Dončić returned to Dallas on Wednesday for the first time since the Blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles Lakers and it hit him hard.
Dončić was shockingly traded in February and Anthony Davis was one of the players acquired by Mavericks.
Ever since then, Mavs General Manager Nico Harrison has been public enemy # 1 in Dallas. Fans have not forgiven him for having a global superstar in the primary career.
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Los Angeles Lakers -Guard Luka Doncic responds while watching a tribute video before a game against Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. (Kevin Jairaj/Imag- Pictures)
It continued Wednesday with several “Fire Nico” signs when Dončić and Lakers arrived in Dallas.
The arena was filled with white shirts that said “thank you for everything” on his original Slovenian.
Just before the game, the franchise honored him with a video tribute and Dončić was emotional.
Harrison said he did the trade to improve the team’s defense fresh from an NBA final performance. In Davis’ Mavericks debut he was wounded (he has since returned), and Kyrie Irving later tore an ACL.
Since coming to Lakers, Dončić has set his usual numbers, on average 27.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists, and Lakers is a serious competitor.
A fan of Los Angeles Lakers -Guard Luka Dončić holds up a sign before a game between Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. (Kevin Jairaj/Imag- Pictures)
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Apart from the defense, however, Dončić would have been in a contract match with Mavs. His expansion of $ 207 million expires this year and he was going to a SuperMax agreement worth over $ 340 million. Plus, he could have opted out of other appointments with Dallas. So Harrison wanted security.
“We really want us to get ahead of what was going to be a stormy summer, being eligible for SuperMax and also a year away from the fact that he could opt out of any contract,” Harrison said shortly after the deal had ended. “And then we really felt that we were coming out in front of it. We know team, they’ve had it out there, teams have loaded to try to sign him when it comes available.”
Lakers were on Wednesday 48-31, third at the western conference. That would be their best finish since it won the NBA title in 2020.
Los Angeles Lakers -vagt Luka Dončić responds while watching a tribute video before a game against Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center (Kevin Jairaj/Imag- Pictures)
However, there are four teams only one game behind them in the position that could fall them down to seventh and put them in the play-in tournament.
