The Los Angeles Lakers are now likely set for the next decade after they completed a trade that no one saw coming in early February, acquiring international superstar Luka Dončić.
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It was a trade that shocked many in the sports and certainly the basketball world, including Dončić. While the Lakers are doing their best to bask in the Dončić experience, the Mavericks are doing their best to cover their tracks.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, some within the Mavericks organization felt that Dončić was “lazy,” and they had concerns about the path he was on physically.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Some within the organization also noted that his weight was a “frequent frustration” when it comes to his affinity for drinking beer and smoking hookah.
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After the trade took place that sent Dončić to L.A. in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, reports came out around the same night that Mavericks had some severe worries about Dončić when it comes to his weight and his conditioning or lack thereof.
This isn’t the first time Dallas has been vocal about Dončić and his work ethic. It appears that general manager Nico Harrison and ownership did not believe that Dončić could be a player to lead them to the promised land because of their weight and work ethic.
The Mavericks are betting that Dončić’s body fails him in the long run. However, Dončić is on pace to begin an all-time great and Hall of Famer. Dončić is one of three players in league history to garner five All-NBA First Team selections before age 26, joining Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan.
On top of that, his career points per game average in the regular season is the third-highest in NBA history. In 50 career playoff games, he averaged 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.7 steals in 38.9 minutes with an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.
The Slovenia superstar is on pace to be an all-time great, and if he continues to trend in that direction, Dallas will regret their decision for a very long time.
So far as a Laker, Dončić is averaging 19.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the five games he has played.
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