The Lakers-Mavericks commerce that surprised the sports activities world got here as fairly a shock to Luka Doncic, too.
Doncic reiterated Tuesday that he anticipated to spend his whole NBA profession with the Mavericks, so when he discovered over the weekend they had been buying and selling him to Los Angeles, he couldn’t consider it.
“Everybody was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,” Doncic stated throughout his Lakers introductory press convention. “I was almost asleep, so when I got a call, I had to check if it was April 1. I didn’t really believe it at first. It was a big shock. It was hard moments for me. It was home.”
The Slovenian-born Doncic spent his first six-and-a-half NBA seasons with Dallas, which acquired him in a draft-day commerce with the Atlanta Hawks in 2018.
Nonetheless solely 25, Doncic has averaged 28.6 factors, 8.7 rebounds and eight.3 assists per recreation in his profession. He earned first-team All-NBA honors in every of the final 5 seasons. Simply eight months in the past, he carried the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
However late Saturday night time, flabbergasted followers discovered Dallas common supervisor Nico Harrison had agreed to ship Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for All-Star ahead Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round decide in a three-team commerce additionally involving the Jazz.
“That’s their decision, so I have no comment on that,” Doncic stated of Harrison and the Dallas entrance workplace. “They made a decision. I don’t know why. But that’s their decision, so I can’t do nothing about it.”
On Sunday, Harrison pointed to the 6-10 Davis’ defensive prowess as a motivator for the deal, however he additionally stated the Mavericks “got out in front of what could have been a tumultuous summer.”
Had he not been traded, Doncic would have been eligible this summer season for a supermax contract value $345 million over 5 years. Harrison stated Doncic by no means indicated he can be unwilling to signal a supermax extension — a sentiment Doncic echoed Tuesday.
“Absolutely not,” Doncic stated.
Reviews prompt Mavericks brass had develop into pissed off with Doncic’s inconsistent conditioning, which led to weight fluctuations. Doncic has not performed since Christmas because of a left calf pressure, his fourth damage to that calf since 2022.
On Tuesday, Doncic stated he rushed again from earlier calf points however is now taking the mandatory time to heal. He’s anticipated to return quickly.
Requested in regards to the criticism round his conditioning, Doncic replied, “I know it’s not true.”
The commerce talks started final month over a espresso between Harrison and Lakers common supervisor Rob Pelinka. The pair has a decades-long relationship courting again to when Harrison was a Nike govt and Pelinka was the agent for Kobe Bryant, a Nike shopper.
On Sunday, Harrison stated including Davis, who turns 32 subsequent month, matches inside the Mavericks’ championship timeline, and that he considers “the future” to be three or 4 years from now.
However Pelinka is hopeful to have Doncic for much longer.
“It’s a gift,” Pelinka stated Tuesday. “We’re talking about a 25-year-old that is a top-three player in the universe. I can’t think of a more amazing starting point to build a roster for the next decade. I know he has the drive to win that we have here.”
The commerce pairs Doncic with one other all-time play-maker in LeBron James, who, at age 40, is averaging 24.0 factors, 7.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists per recreation this season.
Doncic stated James referred to as him instantly after the commerce, shortly after the Lakers beat the Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard on Saturday night time.
“We didn’t talk much, because he said, ‘I understand what you’re feeling,’ but that was really nice of him, just to call me right away and welcome me to L.A.,” Doncic stated.
The commerce additionally got here as a shock to Davis, who was in his sixth season with the Lakers and gained a championship with them in 2020.
“I was in shock, obviously,” Davis stated Tuesday throughout the Mavericks’ morning shootaround in Philadelphia. “I had no idea that it was happening, but now I’m kind of over it and I’m getting ready to play with Dallas.”
And whereas Doncic stated the preliminary 48 hours after the commerce had been extremely emotional for him, he expressed pleasure to play for one of many NBA’s premier franchises.
“I thought I was going to spend my whole career there, because I think loyalty is a big word for me, and I was trying to stay by that,” Doncic stated of Dallas.
“But this, for me, is a fresh start. … I’m really excited to be here. I’m getting to play for the Lakers. Not everybody can say that. Many, many legends [played] here. Many, many championships, so that’s my goal.”
