Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks' return package from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for superstar Luka Dončić hasn't exactly been met with unanimous approval.

"The return sucks," a Western Conference team executive told The Ringer's Howard Beck. "Your job is to get the best return."

That apparently has been a common sentiment. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon reported rival executives were "furious and jealous" that the Lakers were the only team involved in talks.

One exec called the decision "unfathomable," while another said, "I'm stunned."

The Mavericks surprisingly dealt Dončić to the Lakers over the weekend as part of a three-team trade that also included the Utah Jazz. Dallas came away from the swap with Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick from Los Angeles.

While the Mavericks likely would have received more draft compensation if they decided to start a bidding war for Dončić, general manager Nico Harrison explained that he only spoke with the Lakers before finalizing the trade. That was due to Harrison's desire to add a defensive-minded big such as Davis, who finished fourth in 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year voting.

"I believe that defense wins championships," Harrison said, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future."

While Davis has established himself as one of the league's top two-way players, Dončić had become the face of a Mavericks team that was coming off a 2024 NBA Finals appearance to go along with a third-place MVP finish.

The 25-year-old was off to another strong start to begin his 2024-25 campaign despite dealing with a calf injury, averaging 28.1 points and 8.3 rebounds to go along with 7.8 assists per game.

Now, the Mavericks will be attempting to make it out of the Western Conference for a second consecutive year led by Davis and Kyrie Irving. While the pair represent an intriguing duo, there's belief that Dallas could have received much more for Dončić.

The Dallas Mavericks are planning on handing Kyrie Irving a new contract at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

"Irving, by all indications, remains on course for a new multi-year deal in July," Stein wrote on Sunday.

The eight-time All-Star has a $43.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season, via Spotrac.

After Irving and Luka Dončić helped lead Dallas to a 2024 NBA Finals appearance, Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a shocking three-team deal that included the Utah Jazz. The Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick in return.

Stein noted that Dallas was "widely expected" to sign both Dončić and Irving to new contracts during the offseason prior to the trade.

The Mavericks acquired Irving in a Feb. 2023 deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Dončić reportedly played a role in the move, encouraging the front office to bring in a second star.

Irving was "stunned" by the trade involving Davis and Dončić on Sunday, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

The star point guard is in the midst of another efficient season in Dallas, averaging 24.3 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point territory.

Irving's desire to remain with the Mavericks following the departure of Dončić is unknown, but it's difficult to imagine the 32-year-old turning down a hefty long-term contract offer from Dallas.

Despite the surprising absence of Dončić, the Mavericks still appear to be focused on moving forward with Irving for the foreseeable future.

Longtime Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been relatively quiet following Sunday's blockbuster trade that sent star guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.

During Monday's episode of Run It Back, former Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons said that he texted briefly with Cuban and revealed the 66-year-old's reaction to the deal.

"I texted him and I said, 'I'm so confused,' and he wrote back, 'That makes two of us,'" Chandler said. "So that kind of tells you right there, he wasn't involved."

At least one person inside the organization assumes this trade would not have happened if Cuban was still in charge.

"No way Mark would ever trade Luka," a team source told Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN. "It wouldn't even be a conversation."

NBA insider Marc Stein noted that Cuban has remained mum on the subject of trading Dončić, stating, "Asked Sunday to react to the trade, Cuban passed on the opportunity to comment publicly beyond saying: 'Go Mavs.'"

Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News echoed that sentiment, as Cuban responded to him with a similar message:

Cuban, who sold his majority stake in the franchise to the Adelson and Dumont families for $3.5 billion in November 2023, confirmed to WFAA's Ryan Osborne and Pete Freedman on Sunday that he wasn't involved in the Mavs' decision to trade Dončić. He had controlling interest in the team when the Slovenian was drafted third overall in 2018, and his affinity for the 25-year-old was well-documented.

Cuban famously once said you could "catch me at my lawyer's office preparing for a divorce" if it came down to choosing between his wife or keeping Dončić in Dallas.

Mavs general manager Nico Harrison took credit for the negotiations that culminated with Sunday's trade, declaring that the Lakers were the only team he spoke to regarding the possibility of trading Dončić. The deal will go down as one of the most shocking trades in NBA history.

With Dončić gone and Cuban out of power, the Mavs are officially entering a new era that will unlikely take time for fans to get used to.

The Dallas Mavericks aren't pursuing Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant or Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler on the trade market, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Fischer noted that Dallas is "definitely not done looking for upgrades" via trade, though.

On Sunday, the Mavericks made the surprising decision to deal superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a massive three-team swap. Dallas received a package headlined by Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick in return.

Butler indicated to the Heat on Jan. 2 that he wanted to be traded, with ESPN's Shams Charania listing Dallas as a team that the six-time All-Star would be open to joining.

In 25 starts this season, Butler has averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting a career-high 54 percent from the field.

Durant hasn't requested a trade from the Suns, although Fischer noted on Monday that Phoenix was still listening to offers from opposing teams. The team doesn't have plans to move the two-time Finals MVP, though.

While the Suns only sit at No. 8 in the Western Conference standings with a 25-23 record this season, Durant has remained one of the most efficient volume scorers in the association.

He's averaging 26.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on 52.5/40.5/82.7 shooting splits.

As the Mavericks look to return to the NBA Finals with Davis leading the way alongside Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, they could focus on targeting depth options instead of adding another star such as Butler or Durant.

Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, Dallas can trade first-round picks in 2025, 2029 and 2031 to upgrade its roster.

After moving on from Dončić, the Mavericks may remain active on the trade market ahead of Thursday's deadline at 3 p.m. ET.

The Dallas Mavericks were reportedly afraid of the massive extension that the team would potentially offer to superstar Luka Dončić before trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

"They were terrified of a supermax commitment," ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on Monday's episode of The Hoop Collective (43:45 mark).

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted that Dončić was eligible to receive a five-year, $345 million extension during the 2025 offseason. After he was dealt to the Lakers, the forward can no longer earn the supermax.

The $345 million contract would have represented the new richest deal in NBA history, surpassing the current record of $313.9 million on Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum's latest extension.

Dončić is still able to sign a five-year contract worth $229 million with the Lakers during the summer, per Marks.

On Sunday, Los Angeles acquired Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in a three-team swap with the Mavericks and Utah Jazz. Dallas received Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick while Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks headed to Utah.

After the trade was completed, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison confirmed that the looming extension for Dončić played a role in the move.

"We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract," Harrison said, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. "And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they've had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available."

Dončić has been limited to just 22 appearances to begin his 2024-25 campaign due to a calf injury, but the five-time All-Star is still averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game on 46.4/35.4/76.7 shooting splits.

While his trade to the Lakers came as a surprise, it appears as though his upcoming contract situation factored into Dallas' desire to move him.

At least one NBA general manager has a very high opinion of Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on the newest episode of Brian Windhorst's Hoop Collective podcast the GM asserted Irving is better than now-former teammate Luka Dončić.

"I was talking to another general manager today and they made the statement—and it was like confidently—that Kyrie is a better player than Luka," MacMahon said starting at the 44:48 mark. "And I was taken aback by that. I think Kyrie's an incredible talent, but Luka just led the league in scoring, basically averaging triple-doubles."

That's a bold opinion when Irving isn't even having one of his best seasons in the NBA. He's averaging 24.3 points on 47.9 percent shooting, including 41.5 percent from the arc, along with 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

Dončić isn't scoring as efficiently as Irving, but he's putting up more points (28.1), rebounds (8.3) and assists (7.8). And some would consider this a slightly disappointing season from the 25-year-old.

There's at least one outlier. Otherwise, you'd be hard-pressed to find many people who would take Irving over Dončić. The latter is a top-five talent in the league.

Granted, Dallas sent a clear message when it executed Sunday's stunning blockbuster and swapped its franchise cornerstone for Anthony Davis.

MacMahon reported on SportsCenter the Mavs had grown frustrated with Dončić's conditioning and were worried about how his game would age as he was in line for a five-year, $345 million supermax extension this summer.

General manager Nico Harrison went out on a massive limb when he decided to move on from a five-time All-NBA honoree in the prime of his career. Dallas is also coming off an NBA Finals appearance, so it could clearly contend for a title with Dončić as the No. 1 option.

For now, the scorn and criticism toward Harrison and the Mavs front office is almost universal. In time, maybe their assessment of Dončić's value into the future proves to be correct.

Luka Dončić released a statement thanking the Dallas Mavericks as well as the team's fanbase for his tenure with the organization after he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

"I thought I'd spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship," Dončić said in the statement posted on social media. "The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home."

The Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick as part of the trade. Los Angeles received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.

Dončić also posted that he is 'grateful' to be joining the Lakers:

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the 25-year-old had "no idea" that Dallas was working on the deal before it was finalized.

NBA insider Marc Stein noted that Dončić did not request to be traded.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison explained that he made the trade to acquire Davis for defensive reasons.

"I believe that defense wins championships," Harrison said, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future."

He attempted to reach out to Dončić with a text message as well as a phone call once the deal was made, but the forward didn't respond.

"My guess is he probably doesn't want to talk to me," Harrison said, via Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

After the Mavericks added Dončić during the 2018 NBA draft, he quickly blossomed into one of the NBA's top players. He earned 2018-19 Rookie of the Year honors and earned All-Star nods in each of the next five seasons.

Dončić helped lead Dallas to a 2024 NBA Finals appearance and remained effective to begin the 2024-25 season despite making just 22 starts due to calf issues.

He leaves the Mavericks with career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game on 47.0/34.8/74.8 shooting splits. Dončić already sat at No. 6 on Dallas' all-time scoring list despite ranking No. 19 in total games played.

Now, he's headed to Los Angeles.

The Dallas Mavericks suffered a lopsided 144-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers after trading superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

The Cavaliers cruised to the win over the Mavericks, taking a 50-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and scoring a franchise-record 91 points in the first half.

Cleveland also took a playful shot at the Mavericks afterwards, referencing the post from ESPN's Shams Charania that announced the Dončić trade.

Dallas shot just 38.5 percent from the field as a team, hitting just nine of its 44 three-point attempts.

The Mavericks traded Dončić and Maxi Kleber to the Lakers in exchange for a package headlined by Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick, per Charania. While the trade is official, Davis obviously wasn't ready to suit up for his new team just yet.

Dallas was already shorthanded without the Dončić trade factored in, as Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II were all ruled out prior to the contest.

Fans called out the Mavericks for the blowout loss.

The Mavericks fell to 26-24 with the defeat, currently sitting at No. 9 in the Western Conference standings.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers improved to 40-9 and maintained the best record in the NBA.

Luka Dončić had a simple message to his former Dallas Mavericks teammates in their group chat after he was shockingly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Mavericks forward Naji Marshall revealed that Dončić texted his teammates and said "thanks for everything" following the swap, via Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News.

"I was surprised like everyone else," Marshall said, per Curtis. "Very good dude. Good teammate. I look forward to playing him again."

In a blockbuster three-team deal, Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris headed to the Lakers while Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick were sent to the Mavericks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Utah Jazz also received Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks in the trade.

The decision to move on from Dončić was abrupt, as he developed into one of the league's top players during his seven seasons with the organization. NBA insider Marc Stein noted that the 25-year-old did not request to be traded.

Dončić's teammates were also "blindsided" by the deal, according to Jovan Buha, Christian Clark, Tony Jones, David Aldridge and Alex Andrejev of The Athletic.

Charania reported that Dončić, Davis and Lakers superstar LeBron James all had no idea that the trade was occurring.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison revealed that he reached out to Dončić with a text message as well as a phone call, but he didn't receive an answer.

"My guess is he probably doesn't want to talk to me," Harrison said, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

The Mavericks initiated trade talks with the Lakers, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. Dallas was reportedly concerned about offering Dončić a five-year, $345 million supermax contract during the offseason.

"We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract," Harrison said, via MacMahon.

In 22 starts this season, Dončić has averaged 28.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He's also dished out 7.8 assists on a nightly basis, shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point territory.

He already ranked No. 6 on the Mavericks' all-time scoring list as well as No. 4 on the team's all-time rebounding leaderboard.

After an impressive start to his career in Dallas that included a 2024 NBA Finals appearance, Dončić is now headed to Los Angeles.