It’s Official: Luka Dončić -Handel couldn’t have been worse for Mavs in the first week

LeBron James texted Luka Dončić in the morning of his newest teammate’s Los Angeles Lakers debut and asked if he would have the honor of being introduced last among starters for a game against Utah Jazz.

“Today,” Dončić replied, “if you can let me get this one.”

And with four words from the Lakers advertisement Lawrence aunts “from Slovenia, Luka Dončić” — was officially officially: the 25-year-old, five-time all-nba election of the first team was wearing Forum blue and gold.

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The dream in Los Angeles is a nightmare for Dallas Mavericks, only it’s reality: Luka is a lacquer. Mavericks really acted for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a single first round of drafts in 2029.

It was a culmination of the week between the Dončić agreement and his debut. During this time, what was on its face became the stupidest trade in modern NBA history somehow worse for mavericks with every day.

The first news about the trade surprised the entire league. Players of Dončić’s caliber are winning championships in NBA, as shown in last season’s performance in the final, and teams do not trade these players until they have entered their most important seasons. Even Lakers were shocked. As a person who was familiar with the dressing room, said in the demand of trade, “stunned to say the least.”

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At the preliminary news conference, Laker’s director Rob Pelinka Maverick’s general manager Nico Harrison thanked Dončić to Los Angeles and called it “a gift” and “a seismic event in NBA history.”

There had To be an explanation of this, everyone thought.

Only the first wave of reporting offered a little to continue. Neither Dončić nor Dallas offered any indication that he would have rejected the $ 345 million SuperMax extension, which he was eligible for in July.

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“Definitely not,” Dončić said. “Easy answer.”

Instead, Harrison told Espns Tim Macmahon“I think defense wins championships. I think that getting an all-defensive center and an all-nba player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future. ” With that we thought: Maybe he thinks this is a good deal.

And then Harrison talked a little more. He only traded with Pelinka, his old friend, whom he had reportedly shared family holidays like Consiglieres to Lakers -legend Kobe Bryant in the previous 2000s. Mavericks never created a bidding war for one of the biggest prizes ever available through trading.

“I don’t want to talk badly about any players. It won’t do us or me anything good,” Harrison said. “There are levels about it. There are people who fit the culture and there are people who add the culture and these are two different things. And I think the people who come in add to the culture. “

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Wait, they said Dončić was not a cultural fit in Dallas where he was the culture? Where in his first six seasons he led Mavs to appear in the 2022 Western Conference Finals and 2024 NBA Finals?

Really Espns Dave McMenamine reported“There had been significant frustration in the organization on Dončic’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered an important factor in his injury question.” He reportedly weighed almost 270 pounds in training camp, and Mavs apparently thought it contributed to the left calf tribe he suffered in Christmas.

So we are meant to believe that Dončić, a 25-year-old superstar who was an average Conditioning misfit than Davis, a 31 -Year -old Future Hall of Famer, who has missed at least 26 matches in four of its last six seasons?

It came as less of a shock that Davis, after a remarkable first half, again aggraved an existing adductor injury in his Dallas debut. He is allegedly sideline indefinitely and at least through the All-Star break. Mavericks (28-26), currently eighth in the West, are in real danger of missing out on the playoffs completely.

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And then the cherry came on top of the world’s worst Sundae on Sunday when Maverick’s Governor Patrick Dumont told Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend“If you look at the greatness of the league, the people and I grew up with – (Michael) Jordan, (Larry) Bird, Kobe, Shaq (O’Neal) – they worked really hard, every day, with a singular Focus to win .

“That’s the one we want. I’m unwavering about this. The whole organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do with us.

Not only was Mavericks explicitly said Dončić did not fit their culture. Dumont demonstrated a fantastic lack of awareness of NBA history. Jordan gambled on golf courses between games. BIRD injured a finger on his shooting hand in a Barkamp during the eastern conference final in 1985 and told the media, “I like to drink beer and go out and have a good time – I’m human. “Bryant had his own off-Court problems. And O’Neal once said not to undergo an operation during the peak season,” as I suffered the damage at business time, Why shouldn’t I also be able to get surgery and make improvement at business time? “

It is not a clear focus that wins championships. It’s a player of Dončić’s caliber. Furthermore, Dončić is as competitive as any of these others, and if you were not already aware of, he will not be 26 until February 28.

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What could not have been true was actually: Mavericks thought Luka Dončić was not a suitable for Dallas.

And news was getting worse for Mavs Monday. A fan on the jumbotron of the American Airlines Center mouthed to the crowd, “Four Nico“Only to be escorted by security Shortly after. And for the first time during his term of office, Maverick’s trainer Jason Kidd did not treat the media after an overtime loss.

So it was that James and Dončić both threw Lobs to Jaxson Hayes on the two opening of possessions of their first match together on Monday, and Dončić found James On a leak late in the second quarter of a blowout victory. No one in LA thought, This guy doesn’t fit. Just the opposite. James told Dončić in the pregame festivities that he didn’t have to try to comply with Lakers; They would adhere to him.

“Luka, be your f *** ing yourself“Said James.” Don’t fit in, f *** fitted out. “

James might as well have added what we all thought: I still can’t believe this. Luka is a lacquer.