Although the season for both the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Lakers is wrapped, they still remain two of the most talked-about franchises. Of course, the significant reason for that has been the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to Southern California in exchange for Anthony Davis.

Ever since that deal, the Lakers and the Mavericks have had two completely contrasting seasons. LA went on to become one of the favorites this season, while Dallas struggled big time. While this deal has seen several reactions over time, there seems to be something coming up every now and then.

The latest person to open up about his initial thoughts when the deal went through is Luka Doncic’s former teammate and Dallas player, Naji Marshall. The 27-year-old forward talked about the emotional impact of Doncic’s shocking trade to Los Angeles on ‘The Young Man and Three’ podcast. He described how difficult it was to see the franchise player being shipped away. “I mean, I understood that, like, business is business as far as the NBA, but I was hurt, man. Luka’s my dawg, for real. And I love AD. That’s my guy right there. Like, he’s been great with us. You know, he welcomed us with open arms. Like, that’s my guy.” He said.

The Mavericks forward explained that even though he understood that getting traded was part and parcel of the NBA business but it was a hard one to take. “But as far as just personally, like, I just was hurt to lose Luka, man. I mean, it was a great time spent with him, the short time we did. And, I mean, I was just hurt to see him go.” It was a heartfelt response from the Mavericks forward. He might have shared the court for just a short while with Doncic, but their bond was very strong. Moreover, he also anticipated that the 26-year-old point guard was about to go off on his return to Texas.

Indeed, Doncic showed up big time on his return to Dallas, as he got a bit teary after watching a video tribute put together by his former franchise. “I just knew he was going to go crazy like that, though. Like the first game home, Luka wanted to be in Dallas, probably you know he probably never thought he was going to leave. I don’t know what he was thinking, but man, that was crazy, bro, to see him cry before the game. Like I just probably… I don’t know what he was feeling, but I just could imagine what that moment felt like for him.” Marshall said. While many believe the dust has settled, it’s sad to see players still being so moved by the trade.

Meanwhile, it seems the grass is not much greener on the other side for Luka Doncic.

The Lakers deliver a brutal message to Luka Doncic during the offseason

When Luka Doncic joined the Los Angeles Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks, there was a lot of buzz around why he was traded. Although nothing was confirmed initially, soon the layers of this historic trade were revealed. One of the biggest reported reasons for the Mavs to trade Doncic was the 26-year-old point guard’s conditioning and fitness issues. While many shrugged it off, it became evident that Doncic did, in fact, need to work on his shape. He has always been noticeably pudgy and had difficulty running back on defense, which could indicate that he lacked a bit of fitness.

Even Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, pointed out that his team needed to “get in championship shape” to become contenders next season. This comment alone led a lot of people to believe it was targeted at Doncic. Now, the franchise has taken things up a notch with a wild job posting for a new strength and conditioning coach.

“The Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers ensures that each player has an individually designed strength and conditioning plan to promote and support his maximum performance and health maintenance. This role implements, monitors and adjusts player workouts year-round as needed. In addition, the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach is responsible for motivating players and holding them accountable for their work in the weight room. Must be able to work well in a team, work irregular hours, and travel overnight for extensive periods of time.” The posting reads.

Plenty of people feel that such a public job posting is quite embarrassing, especially for a team of Los Angeles’ stature. There’s no doubt that Luka Doncic needs to get in better shape to reach his full potential, but this seems ruthless. Even if it’s not a dig at the point guard, the Lakers should be able to hire a strength and conditioning coach without having to post it online to the public. Whatever might be the case, it seems that Doncic will have to work much harder for the upcoming season, with him being under the microscope in Southern California.