Luka Doncic's 'taste for beer and hookah' factored into Mavericks wanting to trade him to Lakers: report
Luka Doncic got some revenge against his old Dallas Mavericks squad, the team that shockingly traded him before the NBA deadline, by notching a triple-double in the Los Angeles Lakers' 107-99 win on Tuesday night.
While Doncic was dissecting his former teammates on the court, Lakers fans were heard chanting, "Thank you, Nico!" to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the blockbuster trade.
Still, the Mavericks are sticking by the trade of the perennial All-Star guard, and The Athletic's recent report only escalated the health concerns that played a major factor in moving him now.
The report stated that "the people who witnessed Doncic's last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old's professionalism." Doncic's conditioning level was reportedly a frustration for the organization, and they didn't like his "taste for beer and hookah."
The Mavericks reportedly predicted Doncic's "basketball demise" due to his health, and Harrison made a move nobody saw coming. Lakers star center Anthony Davis was the highlight of Los Angeles' trade package to land Doncic.
This report perhaps brought more clarity to a viral clip that went down after the Mavericks won the Western Conference Finals this past season, where Doncic's beer was taken out of his hand by Mavericks VP Michael Finley seemingly without an explanation.
In the clip, Doncic seems perplexed that happened, and ultimately shrugs it off.
Doncic's father, Sasa, was standing next to his son when that interaction went down, and he blasted the Mavericks following the trade and the initial reports that Luka's health played a factor in it.
Sasa called the situation "very unfair" while making an appearance with Arena Sport Slovenija.
"It wasn't even a problem last year since, I am saying again, one individual said he's not fit enough," Sasa explained about the conditioning concerns. "That he played, I don't know, 100 games, practically 40 minutes with two or three players constantly on him. That he was beaten, and you say such things about him. I feel that this is very unfair from certain individuals. You traded him.Stand by your actions, but don't look for excuses or alibis. That's it."
Doncic has been nursing a calf strain for most of the 2024-25 season with the Mavericks, but since getting back on the floor for the Lakers, the team is 4-2.
Doncic is averaging 19.0 points, nine rebounds and seven assists through five games, though he's shooting below his usual efficient rate at 38.1% thus far.
At 35-21, the Lakers are fourth in the Western Conference standings.
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