The trade that sent Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers is considered by many to be the worst in the history of the NBA. And that move ultimately cost Maverick general manager Nico Harrison his job as the team announced that they were moving on from him as their general manager.
After the Lakers trade went down, there were multiple reports stating that Harrison didn’t feel Doncic could lead the team to a championship due to not always being in the best shape and questioning his work ethic. And apparently Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd felt the same.
In a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show, ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed that he has heard that Kidd was also not a big fan of Luka’s conditioning prior to the trade going down:
“Luka Doncic hasn’t acknowledged Jason Kidd since he’s been back — since they’ve played against each other, in those games, Lakers-Mavs games. I think there’s an understanding there that Jason Kidd also wasn’t one of the ones that was thrilled with Luka Doncic’s conditioning — different things — near his exit.”
If anyone would have an up close view of Doncic’s conditioning, or lack thereof, it would be Kidd. And should it not be up to par, it would be Kidd who has to alter his plans on what to expect of his star player. If Doncic really weren’t in the best shape it would make sense for Kidd to be frustrated.
What this does seem to indicate is that Harrison was not the only one within the Mavericks who was frustrated with Luka and, perhaps, was also fine trading him away. At the very least, Kidd likely had some conversations with Harrison to address this issue.
Regardless of what led up to it, the Mavericks ultimately decided that Doncic wasn’t the best fit for them and the Lakers are ecstatic that he is now in purple and gold for the foreseeable future. And that one decision will haunt the Mavericks organization for a very long time.
Luka Doncic ‘focused on Lakers’ amidst Mavericks firing of Nico Harrison
Luka Doncic has made it clear plenty of times that he wanted to play his entire career with the Mavericks, but has now fully embraced being a member of the Lakers. Many might feel that he is enjoying the fact that the man responsible for trading him has now lost his job, but Doncic insists that he is simply focused on the Lakers.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
