"I Thought I'd Spend My Career Here" - Luka Doncic

[BallsOut]

"Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level.

"I thought I'd spend my career here, and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship. The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home.

"In good times and bad, from injuries to the NBA Finals, your support never changed. Thank you not only for sharing my joy in our best moments but also for lifting me up when I needed it most.

"To all the organizations I've worked with throughout the Dallas community, thank you for letting me contribute to your important work and join you in bringing light to those who need it.

"As I start the next part of my basketball journey, I am leaving a city that will always feel like a home away from home.

"Dallas is a special place, and Mavs fans are special fans. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," Doncic wrote.


Worst NBA trade in history for an NBA team. Mavericks essentially committed suicide. Mavs fan need to riot, boycott, protest. This is heartbreaking.

[Neal Romer]

Theres definitely a shady element to this.

International Box Office Luka inexplicably shipped off to iconic global brand Purple and Gold? Right as the league is suffering a viewership slide?

Dallas was a sacrificial lamb. The call came from above their heads.

[Doomsday Dallas]

https://media.tenor.com/3W-p57PZqcsAAAAM/skofqq.gif

[fourkicks44]

Theres definitely a shady element to this.

International Box Office Luka inexplicably shipped off to iconic global brand Purple and Gold? Right as the league is suffering a viewership slide?

Dallas was a sacrificial lamb. The call came from above their heads.

Well what people overlook is Danny Ainge had a hand in this deal :lol

It was all done very secretly but he ALWAYS was a part of this.

[red1]

https://media.tenor.com/3W-p57PZqcsAAAAM/skofqq.gif

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMmVwenk0cWxyYmF6Y3U0ZmlxcjhjNHF 3aGsxdGM3bzJkYWFweGIwYiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/S4mv3vJ4iFjvq/giphy.gif

[BallsOut]

https://media.tenor.com/3W-p57PZqcsAAAAM/skofqq.gif

I'm sorry bro. Nico needs to be fired for this trade

[Jasper]

luka not Giannis

[Mask the Embiid]

https://i.postimg.cc/Kc7GdwHj/IMG-4622.png

[90sgoat]

Nico is a racist.

He has now shipped out every single white and lightskin player he inherited:

KP
Brunson
Luka
Kleber
Boban
Bertans

He hasn't brought in a single white skin player.

Watch him get rid of Kidd next.

[Neal Romer]

Nico is a racist.

He has now shipped out every single white and lightskin player he inherited:

KP
Brunson
Luka
Kleber
Boban
Bertans

He hasn't brought in a single white skin player.

Watch him get rid of Kidd next.


KP requested a trade. And he did sign Klay who is more Euro than Afro.

Anyway had nothing to do with race. This was a move made for the sake of the Lakers/NBA brand. Nico was a pawn in it. Klutch had a hand in this and Lakers and Mavs ownership and maybe even Silver.

Lebron and Klutch will get free agents to join Doncic in LA. They're gonna put a contender around him and they're gonna make Finals runs and he's gonna be the global star for the global franchise the way the league wants it. Davis isnt built to be that guy after Lebron left anyway and he was clearly fine with moving on. He waved his trade kicker immediately after "abruptly learning of this shocking trade" (yeah right).

I just wonder what kind of kickbacks the Mavericks are secretly getting for the business aspect of giving up Luka for the 'greater good.' Theyll obviously benefit indirectly like every other team by having Luka Laker generate greater attention for the league. But losing direct control of his player rights is definitely significant. I'm sure somethings been arranged.

[pearlhaira2]

Luka Dončić’s statement, 'I Thought I'd Spend My Career Here,' reflects his deep connection to his team and fans. Loyalty in sports, like in business, plays a crucial role in long-term success. Executive Education Programs and Courses for CEO and C-level Executives (https://www.iim.education/executive-seminars/index.htm) also highlight the importance of commitment and strategic decision-making in leadership.

[Meticode]

I hope the Mavs win a championship with Davis so people can stop whining like little bitches.

[Real Men Wear Green]

I hope the Mavs win a championship with Davis so people can stop whining like little bitches.

I can't go that far being a Celtics fan but it is weird to hear people talk about that trade like Anthony Davis is nothing. I wouldn't have done it if I was running Dallas. You would have had to call me (I wouldn't think to shop him to begin with) and offer Wembanyama or Giannis and two firsts after he just got the team to the Finals. But if they get a healthy AD in the postseason and one of Irving's better postseason runs they're as good as anyone right now and could make the Finals. OKC is still the favorite but Dallas has two great scorers and in theory should be great defensively. Thompson and Irving even give them solid shooting. That's a winning formula.

[John8204]

I can't go that far being a Celtics fan but it is weird to hear people talk about that trade like Anthony Davis is nothing. I wouldn't have done it if I was running Dallas. You would have had to call me (I wouldn't think to shop him to begin with) and offer Wembanyama or Giannis and two firsts after he just got the team to the Finals. But if they get a healthy AD in the postseason and one of Irving's better postseason runs they're as good as anyone right now and could make the Finals. OKC is still the favorite but Dallas has two great scorers and in theory should be great defensively. Thompson and Irving even give them solid shooting. That's a winning formula.

All of that is true, but I think what connects with a lot of people is that Luka didn't want a trade and he had been successful building an eventual championship. The Dallas organization decided that they weren't happy with what they were getting so they basically stole 100+ million dollars from Luka. They've now set the bar where any star can say...why be loyal to a city/team when they can just screw you over at the drop of a hat. I'm not going to cry for Luka he gets to be the face of the Lakers and he's not going to starve but what Dallas did is going to have long term negative consequences with the league.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Saying they stole a hundred mil from him goes too far. The trade cost him that in potential earnings but that's not the same thing. The problem is the rule that takes the supermax away from a trade player. They need a better way to keep stars from demanding trades. But if any player that can't have supermax is being robbed then you can't trade anyone without robbing them which is a bit of an extreme position.

[John8204]

Saying they stole a hundred mil from him goes too far. The trade cost him that in potential earnings but that's not the same thing. The problem is the rule that takes the supermax away from a trade player. They need a better way to keep stars from demanding trades. But if any player that can't have supermax is being robbed then you can't trade anyone without robbing them which is a bit of an extreme position.

Why does it go to far? Between the SuperMax and the Tax rate this is the biggest money theft an organization has done to player in the history of professional sports. I don't think you can just gloss over that...and the players certainly aren't.

If ever a player earned a Supermax it was Luka he made two title runs, his PPG numbers at up there with Wilt and Jordan. Rather than deal with contract issues they sold him out and tried to get a cheap ring. They are going all in on what I would say a 10 percent chance at a title.

[Phoenix]

Stole isn't the right term, but there needs to be safeguards around this being effectively a loophole for teams to exploit. It sets a bad precedent and I'm sure will end up a case study the next time player contracts come up in negotiations. At the least the union should have made some noise about it.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Why does it go to far? Between the SuperMax and the Tax rate this is the biggest money theft an organization has done to player in the history of professional sports. I don't think you can just gloss over that...and the players certainly aren't. Because he's not entitled to 350 mil to begin with. Until and unless a player signs that contract its not their money. Saying they stole it implies the Mavericks broke some kind of rule or are somehow being unfair. They aren't and they didn't. You don't have to like it.

Any time a player gets traded from Texas or Florida to a team not in those two states he's going to get hit with state income tax and lose millions. Does this mean no player from a team in these two states can be traded or of these states without robbing them? The outrage is a bit silly. It's a bad rule, that's all.


If ever a player earned a Supermax it was Luka he made two title runs, his PPG numbers at up there with Wilt and Jordan. Rather than deal with contract issues they sold him out and tried to get a cheap ring. They are going all in on what I would say a 10 percent chance at a title. He's worth paying a supermax. "Earned" is a far more questionable term. When it comes to off court exercise and/or eating habits he's probably one of the worst in the league. And..."cheap ring?" A title is an title. I can only remember Dallas winning one championship in my lifetime. If they think this gives them the best shot at a title then they have all the justification they need to make a trade. The reality of pro sports is you can point at any superstar, say he will never win a championship again, and probably be right. Especially in a team like Dallas. Doncic's odds of winning a championship at some point in his career likely went up when he got sent to the Lakers. An organization like Dallas almost never wins. So if they think a deal gives them a good chance going for it is understandable.

[Phoenix]

I actually think the Mavs do have a good shot at a finals run at least, but you're going to need Kyrie at his best, AD to be in 2020 bubble form, and Klay to at least be 2022 good. Their defense will do alot of the heavy lifting. This is a trade that we're going to have to get past the initial shock factor and see how it pans out. If the Mavs go on to win the title with this new core and Luka never does in LA, then it will look like a brilliant move in hindsight. I think the biggest issue right now is that Luka was very clearly a beloved player in Dallas, he was their guy, and the optics around the trade look bad.

[John8204]

Because he's not entitled to 350 mil to begin with. Until and unless a player signs that contract its not their money. Saying they stole it implies the Mavericks broke some kind of rule or are somehow being unfair. They aren't and they didn't. You don't have to like it.

Any time a player gets traded from Texas or Florida to a team not in those two states he's going to get hit with state income tax and lose millions. Does this mean no player from a team in these two states can be traded or of these states without robbing them? The outrage is a bit silly. It's a bad rule, that's all.

You are making a straw man argument here. The team has a right to do this so it's okay that they did this to this player. Not talking about any player...name one player who had a team take more money from a player than Dallas just did with Luka. Give me one example...just one.


He's worth paying a supermax. "Earned" is a far more questionable term. When it comes to off court exercise and/or eating habits he's probably one of the worst in the league. And..."cheap ring?" A title is an title. I can only remember Dallas winning one championship in my lifetime. If they think this gives them the best shot at a title then they have all the justification they need to make a trade. The reality of pro sports is you can point at any superstar, say he will never win a championship again, and probably be right. Especially in a team like Dallas. Doncic's odds of winning a championship at some point in his career likely went up when he got sent to the Lakers. An organization like Dallas almost never wins. So if they think a deal gives them a good chance going for it is understandable.

We blame players for leaving in free agency, we blame players for requesting trades, we blame players for going to organizations that pay them the most, now we're blaming a player because he's not "in shape". Just curious at what point is an organization responsible.

Now you are saying Dallas hasn't won...right and why is that. In the 1980's they built a winning team around Mark Aquire and then they dumped him to Detroit for Adrian Dantley. They got a big draft pick with Jason Kidd won ROTY traded him tp Phoenix. Steve Nash got 2 MVP's...didn't get them in Dallas got them when he left did he suddenly become a great player.

You can get on soap box and speak on the nature of what could happen with players. Dallas has a track record of screwing over franchise players. Luka gave this team two title runs before he turned 25 if he didn't earn a max deal who the f does. If you are a 40 year old Mav's fan you just got f'd for the fourth time.

[Norcaliblunt]

Dallas isn’t winning the chip with this roster.

Lakers will go on to have success for years with Luka.

And that’s all she wrote folks.

[Real Men Wear Green]

You are making a straw man argument here. The team has a right to do this so it's okay that they did this to this player. Not talking about any player...name one player who had a team take more money from a player than Dallas just did with Luka. Give me one example...just one."Straw man argument" means I am supposedly misrepresenting what you wrote. That's not the case, you just don't understand the ramifications of saying that a player was robbed just because he loses money to being traded. You yourself brought up taxes. Dallas hasn't taken a dime from Doncic. On the contrary they have paid him hundreds of millions of dollars. They just made a deal that sets him up to make lessees money than they would have probably ended up agreeing to pay him but only they could have paid him to begin with. If they ha decided to only offer him 300 mil and he could take it or leave it would that mean they were stealing 50 mil from him? If they decided to let him walk as a free agent would they be stealing 350 mil? No, and no, because no contract is being violated.


We blame players for leaving in free agency, we blame players for requesting trades, we blame players for going to organizations that pay them the most, now we're blaming a player because he's not "in shape". Just curious at what point is an organization responsible. You may blame players for leaving in free agency but I don't view it as being my decision to make. You have this weird idea that the Mavericks owe Doncic a supermax because he's a great player. Wrong. They are a business (and so is he) and this is a business decision. If they decide they don't want to hand a supermax to him because he doesn't have the level of conditioning that they want to see they are absolutely in their right.


Now you are saying Dallas hasn't won...right and why is that. In the 1980's they built a winning team around Mark Aquire and then they dumped him to Detroit for Adrian Dantley. They got a big draft pick with Jason Kidd won ROTY traded him tp Phoenix. Steve Nash got 2 MVP's...didn't get them in Dallas got them when he left did he suddenly become a great player.Now this is "straw man." The history of Maverick front office decisions has little to do with my point.


You can get on soap box and speak on the nature of what could happen with players. Dallas has a track record of screwing over franchise players. Luka gave this team two title runs before he turned 25 if he didn't earn a max deal who the f does. If you are a 40 year old Mav's fan you just got f'd for the fourth time.I can think of three franchise players the Mavericks have had since Ì started following the NBA: Kidd, Nowitzki, and Doncic (Nash became a franchise player in Phoenix but in Dallas it was Nowitzki's team). . Kidd is their current head coach so I doubt he has any major complaints. Nowitzki certainly has no gripes. Doncic is certainly upset. 2 out of 3 isn't bad... not that it has anything to do with what I'm talking about. And on a side note, not sure how making the Finals once in what I will agree was impressive fashion is the same as two titles. Or anything anywhere close.

[Phoenix]

It is kind of crazy that the Mavs just decided to dump him off as opposed to including some conditions in a supermax (if such a thing is possible). Like the Pelicans decided to stick with Zion and dude hasn't even played in half of their games since he was drafted. It makes me think something did happen behind the scenes because the stock answer being provided doesn't seem like an insurmountable thing.

[Real Men Wear Green]

It is kind of crazy that the Mavs just decided to dump him off as opposed to including some conditions in a supermax (if such a thing is possible). Like the Pelicans decided to stick with Zion and dude hasn't even played in half of their games since he was drafted. It makes me think something did happen behind the scenes because the stock answer being provided doesn't seem like an insurmountable thing.

Doubt Doncic would agree to any clause. Williamson has missed something like half of his possible games and he's weighed over 300 pounds. And he's led the Pelicans to nowhere. Doncic still has played in most of the games and although chubby he's not as huge as Williamson had gotten. He's an elite player unlike Williamson and he's led Dallas to the conference finals twice and the Finals once. So if Dallas offers him anything other than a supermax with no stipulations he may get offended and take the regular max from someone else out of spite. They were definitely worried about pissing him off and then still having to deal with him, that's why they were so secretive about trading him.

[Phoenix]

Doubt Doncic would agree to any clause. Williamson has missed something like half of his possible games and he's weighed over 300 pounds. And he's led the Pelicans to nowhere. Doncic still has played in most of the games and although chubby he's not as huge as Williamson had gotten. He's an elite player unlike Williamson and he's led Dallas to the conference finals twice and the Finals once. So if Dallas offers him anything other than a supermax with no stipulations he may get offended and take the regular max from someone else out of spite. They were definitely worried about pissing him off and then still having to deal with him, that's why they were so secretive about trading him.

I mean all or none of this may have ended up being the case, we won't know for sure now. It seems like Dallas tried to get ahead of something but we on the outside can really only speculate and take this all at face value. But your comments about Zion are my point, he's done 'considerably' less in his career so if anyone was going to be let go for conditioning concerns it would have been him. Luka was 3 games away from winning a championship like 8 months ago and really, he's probably had one of the top 10 best starts to a career I can think of. Once you get past Kareem, Russel, Wilt, MJ, Duncan, Lebron,Magic, Bird...guys who won MVPs and/or chips within their first 6-7 years, noone else comes to mind who's had a definitively better start. Probably Shaq had a similar first 7 year run, but in general it's not a long list. Maybe I'm missing a name or two off the top of my head...