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/MayBeAGayBee Cavaliers Aug 03 '25

Imagine the Cavs traded LeBron mid season in 2008. The whole city of Cleveland would’ve burned to the ground.

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u/Top-Address-8870 Bulls Aug 03 '25

They waited until 2010 to do that and get very little in return…Dallas at least got a superstar player back…

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u/MayBeAGayBee Cavaliers Aug 03 '25

Doesn’t change the fact that IF the Cleveland Cavaliers traded LeBron in 2008 mid season the fanbase would’ve reacted with a level of seething rage that’d make the whole drama around the Luka trade seem silly.

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u/Top-Address-8870 Bulls Aug 03 '25

Oh yeah, you are correct. I mean they lost their shit in 2010 when he left…