The Real Reason the Dallas Mavericks Traded Luka Doncic Leaks Publicly
It came as a shock to everyone last night when NBA superstar Luka Doncic was traded to the LA Lakers, and now the true reason behind the deal has leaked.
The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA with a Saturday night blockbuster, trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers in a three-team swap for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round selection.
The decision to move a 25-year-old All-NBA staple out of a city, and a year removed from an NBA Finals run, shocked fans into disbelief.
Doncic heads to Los Angeles, meanwhile, and Davis, an older but proven All-Star, pairs with new Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving in a move that's generating widespread controversy.
The Mavericks were concerned with Doncic's conditioning
The move, according to reports, stemmed in part from concerns about Doncic's conditioning and long-term fitness, particularly with regard to a potential second super-max contract. That's no longer an issue with Saturday's move.
Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison mentioned defense in citing a motivation for trading Doncic, but many believe otherwise.
Davis, a 10-time All-Star, struggled with injuries and hasn't been a top MVP consideration in four years, meanwhile, Doncic finished in the top five three times in four years in the league, starting in 2018.
Other reports detail concerns about Doncic's diet and changing weight, and possibly even contributing to a spate of injuries, even at 6'6" and 230, rumors puts him at a higher weight, raising additional questions about Doncic's maintenance of top-shelf conditioning.
The move will be dissected for years, but for now, the Mavericks have taken one of the biggest chances in NBA history.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Tage Thompson | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Paul Cotter | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Rasmus Dahlin | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ryan McLeod | 1 | - | 1 | |
| John-Jason Peterka | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Bowen Byram | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Justin Dowling | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Dennis Gilbert | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Dougie Hamilton | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Pesce | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Owen Power | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alex Tuch | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jake Allen | - | - | - | |
| Nathan Bastian | - | - | - | |
| Zach Benson | - | - | - | |
| Mackenzie Blackwood | - | - | - | |
| Jesper Bratt | - | - | - | |
| Jacob Bryson | - | - | - | |
| Noah Cates | - | - | - | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 54 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 77 | |
Capitals | 52 | 34 | 11 | 7 | 75 | |
Oilers | 52 | 32 | 16 | 4 | 68 | |
Golden Knights | 52 | 31 | 15 | 6 | 68 | |
Hurricanes | 53 | 32 | 17 | 4 | 68 | |
Stars | 51 | 33 | 17 | 1 | 67 | |
Wild | 53 | 31 | 18 | 4 | 66 | |
Panthers | 53 | 31 | 19 | 3 | 65 | |
Maple Leafs | 52 | 31 | 19 | 2 | 64 | |
Devils | 53 | 29 | 18 | 6 | 64 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||