The Dallas Mavericks are bracing for Luka Dončić‘s revenge game as they face him and the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time since the seismic trade that rocked the NBA landscape.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Dončić is extremely motivated to face his old team that discarded him like he wasn’t a five-time All-NBA and All-Star player who led them to the finals last season.
“Though Dončić did not publicly comment on the constant flow of leaks from the Mavericks organization disparaging his weight and conditioning, one source close to Dončić told ESPN the comments have served as a motivator. ‘A beast was awakened inside him,’ the source said,” wrote McMenamin.
Reports surfaced in the aftermath of the shocking trade that Dončić’s on and off-court habits frustrated the Mavericks which led to his cold and abrupt departure from Dallas.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, a team source vented on why Dončić gained weight while playing 40 minutes a game. Dončić’s latest calf injury — his fourth in his NBA career — was the last straw that led to this blockbuster trade as the Mavericks are betting his body will break down faster because of his off-court habits.
Mavericks Execs’ Cryptic Talks
The Mavericks’ top executives — team governor Patrick Dumont and general manager Nico Harrison — did not deny those reports. Their statements after the trade were telling.
“One thing about me, I’m not going to talk bad about any players, like that’s not going to do us or me any good,” Harrison told reporters during his Sunday press conference. “I’ll just say there’s levels to it. There are people that fit the culture and there are people that come in and add to the culture. And those are two distinct things. And I believe the people that are coming in are adding to the culture.”
Dumont shades Dončić’s off-court habits against the backdrop of NBA legends who won multiple championships.
“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” Dumont told The Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.
“That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire 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 it with us.”
Luka Takes The High Road
Dončić refused to get dragged into a verbal spat with his former bosses.
“At some point, I knew this was going to happen, but I would say I always take the high road,” Dončić told reporters during his introductory press conference. “You know I had my amazing moments in Dallas with all my teammates, coaches and most importantly, the fans. You know they always supported me and it was an amazing journey.”
Dončić denied the rumors that came out of Dallas and if anything, it gave him a motivation to prove the Mavericks wrong.
“It’s a motive,” Dončić continued. “I know it’s not true. But it’s a motive. Like I said, I came here to one of the clubs in the history of sports. So, it’s a big motive for a long, long run here.”
Dončić is heading into what should be an emotional meeting on the heels of his best game as a Laker. The 25-year-old Slovenian star scored a game-high 32 points on 10-of-22 shooting and four 3-pointers in their 123-100 rout of the Denver Nuggets. He added 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a sensational performance.
Ticket prices for the Tuesday (Feb. 25) marquee matchup that will be nationally televised on TNT soared astronomically, with the cheapest “get-in” price for the game at TickPick being $195 – 103% more expensive than the “get-in” price before the Mavericks traded Dončić to the Lakers ($96).
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