Reaction has been flooding in after the Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world by trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Doncic’s father, Sasa, isn’t too pleased with his now-former team’s treatment of his son.
The elder Doncic made an appearance with Arena Sport Slovenija, where he called the Mavericks’ treatment of Luka “very unfair,” saying that the trade “hurts me personally.”
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“I understand there comes a moment when you disagree with a certain philosophy,” Sasa said in Slovenian, which was translated by Arena Sport Slovenija. “You don’t like this or that player, all good, I get it. But I think that exactly this secrecy, or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy, this hurts me personally.
“Because I think that Luka absolutely doesn’t deserve this. Giving the fact that at least, as I know, sacrificed himself enormously and even all the stories now that someone is releasing that he wants to apologize for the things that they’re doing. I feel like this is very unfair from some individuals because I know that Luka respected Dallas a lot. He respected the whole city, helped children.”
Some of the “unfair” treatment Sasa is discussing could revolve around a report from ESPN that said the Mavericks had concerns about Doncic’s conditioning, which could impede the 25-year-old reaching his full potential.
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And with the trade, Luka no longer qualifies for a $323 million supermax extension, though the Lakers could give him a $230 million extension.
Luka has not seen an NBA floor since Christmas, as he’s been dealing with a strained left calf he suffered on the holiday. The league leader in points per game last season was averaging 28.1 points before the injury.
The trade, though, was shocking even with Lakers star Anthony Davis being involved in the package because of Luka’s young age, coupled with his accomplishments, including leading a Mavericks team to the NBA Finals last season. He is a five-time All-Star and won Western Conference Finals MVP during that title run last year, which ultimately fell short to the Boston Celtics.
Sasa discussed those conditioning concerns, dismissing them after seeing what his son did during the 2023-24 season.
“It wasn’t even a problem last year since, I am saying again, one individual said he’s not fit enough,” Sasa explained. “That he played, I don’t know, 100 games, practically 40 minutes with two or three players constantly on him. That he was beaten, and you say such things about him. I feel that this is very unfair from certain individuals. You traded him, stand by your actions but don’t look for excuses or alibis, that’s it.”
While GM Nico Harrison explained his decision after the trade, which was at first believed to be false, became official, the team faced backlash from its fan base for sending off the face of the franchise.
A group of fans was even spotted having a symbolic funeral outside American Airlines Center on Sunday, with a baby blue casket being brought in and draped with Doncic jerseys, fan art, T-shirts and more.
Harrison’s explanation was that the trade was “going to make us better,” while also selling that the move “sets us up to win not only now, but in the future.”
Dallas is currently placed ninth in the Western Conference with a 26-24 record after being blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, 144-101. Davis, who wasn’t with the team yet, and Kyrie Irving were not on the floor for the Mavericks.
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