Since 2018, Luka Doncic’s time with the Mavericks felt like something out of a basketball fairytale, even in his own words. “For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home.” After being drafted by the Hawks and traded to Dallas, he quickly became the face of the franchise. He won Rookie of the Year, earned five All-NBA First Team honors, and racked up All-Star nods year after year. He was even looking forward to a five-year, $345 million supermax extension with the team on the horizon, but the news that broke out in the early morning of February 2, 2025, shifted the whole dynamic and left Maverick fans pulling at their hair in frustration and confusion.

When asked about the move, Mavs GM Nico Harrison defended the decision, saying, “I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All‑Defensive center and an All‑NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance.” But was that the only reason? Reports soon pointed toward growing concerns over Luka’s fitness and weight fluctuations. So while the fans still continue to blame Harrison, a veteran ESPN insider has a different take.

Marc J. Spears dropped a surprising bit of insight on NBA TODAY. He said while pointing at Luka on the screen, “I think he has to answer that. You know, and that’s perhaps a big part of why he’s not there anymore.” He hinted the Mavs weren’t saying everything they knew. “While you heard a lot of negative things, there probably is a lot of stuff that they’re not saying,” Spears added.

He admitted he’d heard things himself but kept it vague. Still, he ended with, “Ultimately, he has to be accountable. He may not have been accountable with his words, but he’s accountable with his body because he made the change.” Considering Harrison hasn’t shied away previously, it’s surprising that he hasn’t spoken on the said “negative things” so far. That would have certainly helped in calming some of the sheer amount of hate he received for the move.

And that change? It’s no joke. Luka’s recent Men’s Health cover marked a new chapter for the Laker star. After his last game, he flew home to Slovenia and told his trainer, “I want to start immediately.” No breaks, straight to the lab. Two workouts a day, no matter what. His plan includes intermittent fasting, 250 grams of protein daily, and inflammation-fighting foods like salmon, berries, and nuts. “Macek took charge of the workouts—except Sundays, Dončić hit two per day,” Men’s Health shared. He wants to lead the Lakers and is showing how committed he is to that championship dream.

So the question remains: why couldn’t Dallas help him get here sooner?

Nico Harrison sticks to his guns about the Luka Doncic decision

It’s been almost five months since Luka Doncic left Dallas, but the conversation clearly isn’t over. During Cooper Flagg’s first press event in late June, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison circled back to the trade, opening up about the reasoning. “We’re in ‘win now’ mode, and we have a really good team, and Cooper adds to that. I think the fans can finally start to see the vision,” Harrison said. But has time really healed the shock of sending Luka away?

The Dallas Mavericks seemed all-in on Flagg from the start. Hours before the draft, a Dallas website briefly leaked a “Welcome to Dallas” graphic with Flagg in a home jersey. Though the team pulled it down quickly, fans took note. Flagg himself claimed surprise, but it’s hard to believe the Mavericks didn’t have this move locked in. After Luka Doncic was traded back in February, getting the top pick might have been step two of a much bigger plan.

Jason Kidd’s plan for Flagg isn’t exactly gentle. “I want to put him at point guard. I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts,” Kidd said. That’s a bold ask for a rookie, especially with a franchise still emotionally recovering from trading their former face of the team. Luka Doncic had time to grow into his leadership. Now, Flagg is being asked to carry the torch before even playing a game.

Zach Lowe certainly didn’t buy it as he stated, “I don’t want to hear Nico Harrison talking about how now fans are starting to see the vision. Because the vision was two quarters against the Houston Rockets before Anthony Davis got hurt.” He even joked, “There is no ‘vision’, unless he’s an oracle of some kind, and then the whole NBA is in trouble because a supernatural being has entered the league.”

Harrison calls it “the vision,” but five months later, some fans still see it as a gamble. Luka Doncic isn’t just a player they lost; he’s the standard Cooper Flagg will now be measured against. And for a team claiming to be in win-now mode, the clock is ticking.