Most NBA fans were bewildered when they found out the news that the Dallas Mavericks had moved on from Luka Dončić. Despite establishing himself as one of the best players in franchise history, general manager Nico Harrison sent the 25-year-old to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round draft pick.
Speculation about Dončić’s work ethic and physical shape arose once the trade was completed. According to NBA analyst Marc Spears, the Mavericks questioned their future with Dončić after the Boston Celtics defeated them in the NBA Finals in five games.
Jaylen Brown’s Defense Made Mavericks Question Luka Dončić’s Future
Boston had the second-best defensive rating in the league during the 2023-24 season, according to NBA.com, and standout wing Jaylen Brown was a large reason why. The defensive intensity he brought in the NBA Finals was nothing short of incredible, which is why Spears claims that Dallas became skeptical about Dončić’s leadership.
“What he did to Luka in the Finals, shutting him down, guarding him full court, making it unbearable offensively, led Dallas to questioning Luka as the leader of the team, and questioning whether he was in shape or not,” Spears said.
Marc Spears says Jaylen Brown is the reason the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic:
“What he did to Luka in the Finals, shutting him down, guarding him full court, making it unbearable offensively, led Dallas to questioning Luka as the leader of the team, and questioning whether he… pic.twitter.com/YHG0UnC8Gx
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 25, 2025
In the 154.4 possessions that Brown guarded Dončić in the NBA Finals, the Mavericks played to an abysmal 84.8 offensive rating. Could he be the primary reason why Dončić is no longer a Maverick?
Dallas clearly wanted to become a more defensive-oriented team, considering the Mavericks finished 18th in defensive rating a year ago. The quotes that Harrison made after the trade line up with Spears’ report.
“There are levels to it, and there are people that fit the culture, and there are people that come in and add to the culture,” Harrison stated in a press conference. “Those are two distinct things, and I believe the people that are coming in are adding to the culture.”
“We really feel that defense wins championships, and we think the players that we’re bringing in add to the culture, which is important to what [Jason Kidd] and I have been building here from Day 1,” Harrison continued. “And then obviously, when you get an all-NBA player who’s also a first-team All-Defensive player, we think that’s gonna help us where we need it the most, on the defensive end.”
Dončić struggled with turnovers and shot poorly from the 3-point line against Boston, but he still led the series in all major statistical categories. The Slovenian superstar averaged 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.6 steals. With subpar performances from teammates Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington, Dončić was ultimately a one-man band.
Still, the Mavericks took issue with Dončić’s dedication to the game. Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont threw shade at him with his comments in a Dallas Morning News article.
“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 said. “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.”
Dallas’ front office remains adamant in their decision to trade the five-time All-NBA selection, and they haven’t been afraid to justify why they did it. Dončić will look to make Harrison and Dumont eat their words in the Tuesday, Feb. 25 matchup when the Mavericks and Lakers face off for the first time since the deal was made.
