It is hard to swing a trade involving multiple superstars where there are no leaks whatsoever until the deal is agreed upon, but Rob Pelinka managed to do just that this season by acquiring multiple-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic at the trade deadline in exchange for a package centered around All-NBA big man Anthony Davis.
It was one of those moments where die-hard Lakers fans will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the breaking news from ESPN's Shams Charania came down. On the flip side of things, Mavericks fans likely still have nightmares about that same exact moment, as "fan favorite" doesn't even come close to describing how beloved Doncic was by the fans in Dallas.
Friday afternoon, ESPN released footage from an interview Malika Andrews conducted with the Lakers' next generational superstar and Doncic didn't hold anything back when describing his initial reaction to the news as the five-time All-Star shared that he was so distraught that he threw his phone across the room and broke it after the deal had been reported.
Luka Doncic tells @malika_andrews about throwing his phone and breaking it when he found out he got traded to the Lakers 😳
— ESPN (@espn) April 18, 2025
"My heart was broken honestly." 💔 pic.twitter.com/rfsIGlOaBC
As Lakers fans saw, Doncic was clearly emotional in his return to Dallas for Los Angeles' first road matchup against the Mavericks following the trade. While Luka certainly is thankful to be with a franchise that values him as much as the Lakers do, Doncic admitted that he would have intended to play his entire career in Dallas, much like his mentor Dirk Nowitzki.
“Of course, that’s an easy question,” Doncic replied when asked by Andrews whether he would have stayed with the Mavericks throughout his NBA career if the decision had been his and his alone.
Doncic holds no ill will toward the fans in Dallas or his former Mavericks teammates, and he made that clear when speaking with Andrews. However, his thoughts and feelings regarding the man who made the stunning move in the middle of the night, Dallas GM Nico Harrison, and the comments Harrison recently made concerning Doncic during a closed media session brought on a different reaction from the Lakers star.
Luka Dončić on Mavs GM Nico Harrison repeating his “defense wins championships” line during his closed media session:
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) April 18, 2025
“It’s just sad the way he’s talking right now…”
On if he intended to finish his career in Dallas: “Of course, that’s an easy question.” #MFFL
(🎥: @espn) pic.twitter.com/Hr0hLiD7hZ
"It's just sad the way he's talking right now. I never say anything bad about him, and I just want to move on. The fans, my ex-teammates, always gave their heart. It's for me to move on from there."
Andrews proceeded to ask Doncic to describe the type of communication he had with Harrison on the night of the trade as well as in the aftermath of the deal and, rather surprisingly, Luka confirmed that he had no discussions with the GM of the Mavericks on the night they shipped him to Los Angeles, nor has he spoken with Harrison in the time since the trade.
As the comments referenced by Andrews show, Harrison and the rest of the brain trust in the front office for Dallas are doing all that they can to spin a trade that has been universally panned by fans and pundits alike into a transaction that best fits the approach the Mavericks have to winning a championship.
When you consider Doncic's current team is entering the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference ,while his former team is fighting for its lives in the Play-In Tournament, all of the questions facing Harrison and the Mavs are warranted.
Should Doncic and LeBron James lead the Purple and Gold on a deep playoff run, the criticism in Dallas will only get louder.