In the wake of one of the most uneven losses of his professional tenure, Los Angeles Lakers standout Luka Doncic faced questions about the architect behind what analysts widely view as one of the NBA’s most unbalanced swaps—the blockbuster transaction that relocated him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. Nico Harrison, who served as the Mavericks’ president of basketball operations and general manager, had initially pitched the trade concept to Lakers counterpart Rob Pelinka back in January. On Tuesday, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont relieved Harrison of his duties.
After the Lakers’ decisive 121-92 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday evening, reporters pressed Doncic for his thoughts on the firing.
“The Dallas community, its supporters, and the teammates—they’ll forever hold a cherished spot in my heart,” Doncic shared. “I figured I’d spend my entire career there, but things unfolded differently. That chapter will always mean the world to me; it’ll always feel like home. Still, at this moment, my priority is the Lakers, pushing forward and adapting. That said, a piece of me will always remain tied to Dallas.
“I’m simply concentrating on my role here and progressing.”
When pressed on whether Harrison’s exit might open the door for a future return to Dallas, Doncic shut it down: “Right now, I’m just locked in on the Lakers. Nothing else to say.”
The trade that stunned the league came in February: Harrison shipped Doncic to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and the Lakers’ 2029 first-rounder. Maxi Kleber was tacked on for salary matching. After the Lakers’ morning shootaround, Kleber shrugged off the news. “It’s a cutthroat league,” he said. “Players, GMs, coaches—everybody’s on the clock. You stay ready for whatever’s next.”
Drafted by Dallas in 2018 via a trade with Atlanta, Doncic had already collected Rookie of the Year, five All-Star nods, five All-NBA honors, a scoring title, and the 2024 West finals MVP—all before turning 26. He arrived in L.A. on fire, posting 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists over his first seven games. Then came Wednesday’s thud against the defending-champion Thunder: a season-low 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting (1-of-7 from three), 7 boards, 7 dimes, 4 turnovers. The Lakers were minus-31 in his 33 minutes; the 32-point halftime hole was the largest of his career.
“Not our night—probably our ugliest of the year,” Doncic admitted. “Give them credit; they’re champs for a reason. They smothered me, and we weren’t ready. Starts with me—I’ve got to be a lot better and figure it out.”
Oklahoma City climbed to 12-1, best in the NBA. The Lakers, 1-2 on a five-game trip that wraps with a back-to-back in New Orleans and Milwaukee, sit fifth in the West at 8-4.
Asked if the gap felt worrisome, Doncic shook his head. “Not worried—motivated. They’re the champs and they’re even sharper to start this year. Watching them play is fuel. We’ve got to find a way to match it.”
