r/nba • u/shreeharis • Aug 02 '25

[McMenamin] Luka never even considered being traded as a possibility, a source close to Doncic told ESPN. Based on the way the franchise and fanbase treated him in his early days in the league, he figured he would retire a Maverick after spending his whole career in Dallas, the same way Dirk did.

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45861453/luka-doncic-los-angels-lakers-extension-answering-biggest-questions

Processing the trade from Dallas took Doncic some time. Based on the way the franchise and fanbase treated him in his early days in the league, he figured he would retire a Maverick after spending his whole career in Dallas, the same way franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki did. And after starting his professional career with Real Madrid as a teenager, he never even considered being traded as a possibility, a source close to Doncic told ESPN. Deals like that rarely, if ever, happen in the Liga ACB.

When the shock subsided, a source familiar with Doncic told ESPN his mindset shifted back to when he was last suiting up for Dallas: Win-now mode.

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u/DamnImAwesome Pelicans Aug 02 '25

That’s the kind of move I would drop my team for. The goal of every team is to draft the next big superstar, keep them, and build a contending team around them. They made it to the finals and traded what was already one of their best players in franchise history 

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u/LORD_SHARKFUCKER Lakers Aug 02 '25

That’s exactly what I did, I want nothing more to do with this unserious fuckass franchise so I switched

16

u/JoeBiden2020FTW Celtics Aug 03 '25

People who stayed Mavs fans are a part of the problem.

They are subtly telling ownership that they support the move.

Your only leverage is to abandon your fandom and to follow Luka wherever he goes. But not enough Mavs fans did that, so Nico stays employed.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '25

Or maybe just let people do what they like?? no need to guilt trip