NBA Southwest

Luka Dončić's father, Sasa, was not pleased that the Dallas Mavericks didn't give his son any indication that they were planning on trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers before the stunning deal went down.

"I think that exactly this secrecy—or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy—this hurts me personally," he said Sunday during the Slovenian broadcast of the Mavs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers. "I think that Luka absolutely doesn't deserve this. ... I feel like this is very unfair from some individuals because I know that Luka respected Dallas a lot. He respected the whole city, helped children."

Luka’s dad about the trade 🐍 #nba #lukadoncic #lukadoncictrade pic.twitter.com/muWUDKaxlT

— Arena Sport Slovenija (@ArenaSport_SI) February 2, 2025

"It wasn't even a problem last year since, I am saying again, one individual said he's not fit enough," he added. "That he played, I don't know, 100 games, practically 40 minutes with two or three players constantly on him. That he was beaten and you say such things about him. I feel that this is very unfair from certain individuals. You traded him, stand by your actions but don't look for excuses or alibis, that's it."

Between the regular season and playoffs last season, Dončić played 92 games. But there have been reports that Dallas was frustrated with Dončić's conditioning habits and his weight, and general manager Nico Harrison hinted that the team was never sold on offering Dončić the five-year, $345 million supermax contract he would have been eligible to sign.

"I feel like we got out in front of what could have been a tumultuous summer," Harrison said Sunday. "Other teams that were loading up that he was going to be able to decide, make his own decision at some point of whether he wants to be here or not. Whether we want to supermax him or not, or whether he wants to opt out. So, I think we had to take all that into consideration."

Instead, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon reported that Harrison "decided early on, team sources said, that the best way to trade a player of Dončić's caliber was to pick the trade that he wanted, rather than open up the process, to avoid Dončić and his agent exerting their own leverage. It would also avoid the crippling fan backlash that might influence the deal."

So the most popular player the franchise has had since Dirk Nowitzki—one of the truly elite players in the NBA who was just entering his prime years and had never expressed plans to leave Dallas—was traded without any sort of bidding war around the league or consideration of the fan base that adored him. It isn't hard to understand why some people, including those in Dončić's circle, have felt a bit betrayed.

Even Duolingo is taking a jab at the Dallas Mavericks after trading away superstar Luka Dončić.

👀 @dallasmavs https://t.co/Y3yt3TFpfy pic.twitter.com/HNLCS8Im4J

— Duolingo (@duolingo) February 3, 2025

In a viral response to the trade that sent the Dallas Mavericks All-Star to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package that included Anthony Davis, Duolingo responded in the best way it knew how.

"Let's review your mistakes!" a phrase that the language-learning app says when reviewing each lesson.

Following the trade, it was obvious who the winners and who the losers were to more than just Duolingo:

This will go down as one of (Probably THE) worst trades in the history of Sports. You just traded away a top 3 player in the prime of his career and your return was a single first and a soon to be 32 year old Anthony Davis. The fact that you threw in a 2nd for good measure is…

— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) February 2, 2025

The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade originally included multiple firsts and Dalton Knecht, per @kirkgoldsberry

Nico got taken behind the woodshed. This is why he was so awkward at the press conference. He thought he cooked, but everyone now has told him that the trade was bad.

— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) February 3, 2025

Dallas Cowboys: we are proud to have the worst team management in professional sports

Dallas Mavericks: Hold Luka Doncic’s beer

— Texas Humor (@TexasHumor) February 3, 2025

Congratulations to the Atlanta Hawks, who are now responsible for the second-worst Luka Doncic trade in Luka Doncic trade history.

— Joe Fortenbaugh (@JoeFortenbaugh) February 3, 2025

The trade that sent shockwaves through the NBA world on Saturday was seemingly done in complete silence. The negotiations were kept so quiet that the Lakers were unable to talk with Bill Duffy, Dončić's agent, beforehand, as the information was at risk of becoming public quickly, per The Athletic's Fred Katz, Joe Vardon and Sam Amick.

Thus, the doors were left closed so that, if a trade did not materialize, both stars wouldn't be left disgruntled with their franchises.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison had initially indicated that he only spoke with the Lakers about moving Dončić, but it was reported that Dallas had called at least one other team for a potential trade to acquire another big star, per Katz, Vardon and Amick.

With the possibility of Dončić's contract expiring in 2026 and the Lakers moving in secret to acquire him, not knowing his intentions to re-sign came with some interesting clauses.

"There's some unique things about his contract that we had to pay attention to," Harrison said, per Katz, Vardon and Amick. "There's other teams that were loading up (to acquire him as a free agent). He was going to have to make his own decision at some point of whether he wants to be here or not, whether we want to supermax him or not, or whether he wants to opt out. So I think we have to take all that in consideration and feel like we got out in front of what could have been a tumultuous year."

The Lakers are set to face the Mavericks on Feb. 25 at home in what is sure to be a tumultuous game.

The stunning three-team trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis left the NBA world reeling, in part because superstar players just entering their prime years—and less than a year removed from reaching the NBA Finals—are basically never traded unless they force an exit.

But folks in NBA circles were also shocked because there was absolutely no indication that Dončić was on the trade market in the first place. That, however, was very much by design.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, Mavs' general manager Nic Harrison "decided early on, team sources said, that the best way to trade a player of Dončić's caliber was to pick the trade that he wanted, rather than open up the process, to avoid Doncic and his agent exerting their own leverage. It would also avoid the crippling fan backlash that might influence the deal. [Rob] Pelinka and the Lakers understood. Nothing could leak. Not a breath of it."

Harrison and Pelinka reportedly kept the talks so close to the vest that the Utah Jazz—who served as the third team in the deal by acquiring a pair of second-round picks to take on Jalen Hood-Schifino—"didn't know Dončić and Davis were a part of the deal until about an hour before it was completed, league sources said. Even Jazz president Danny Ainge, who hails from the Lakers' hated rival, the Boston Celtics, had only about 30 minutes notice, sources said, that Los Angeles was about to acquire Doncic to be the new face of its franchise."

Meanwhile, executives around the NBA were reportedly both "furious and jealous" that a player of Dončić's caliber was traded without having so much as an opportunity to make offers of their own.

"Unfathomable," a Western Conference executive told Shelburne and MacMahon.

"I'm stunned," an Eastern Conference added.

Mavs GM Nico Harrison says Patrick Dumont "laughed at me" the first time he brought up trading Luka Dončić.

"Patrick, he's the owner, the ultimate decision-maker, but he entrusts in J Kidd and I to run this team... At some point, if it doesn't work out, I'll be judged for that." pic.twitter.com/gXMC3KTH0e

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 2, 2025

Nico Harrison is a great guy and his early moves in Dallas have worked wonderfully. But how you limit trade talks for Luka to one team -- his words -- over the course of a few weeks is absolutely bananas.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 2, 2025

Harrison, meanwhile, hinted in his press conference that the Mavericks traded Dončić now, in part, to both avoid having to make a decision on signing him to a five-year, $345 million supermax extension and to preempt the possibility of the superstar player forcing his way out of Dallas later on down the line.

"There's other teams that were loading up that he was going to be able to decide, make his own decision at some point of whether he wants to be here or not," he told reporters. "Whether we want to supermax him or not, or whether he wants to opt out. So, I think we had to take all that into consideration, and I feel like we got out in front of what could have been a tumultuous summer."

Attaining and retaining top-5 players is the single most important job for an NBA GM.

Nico Harrison trading Luka Doncic — without even leveraging close to his max value — is just patently absurd.

So what you were going to have difficult conversations.

THAT’S THE JOB!

— Micah Adams (@MAdamsStatGuy) February 2, 2025

The backlash was immediate. Harrison was not only accused of making a bad deal—giving up a 25-year-old superstar for a player like Davis, who is 31, and only getting Max Christie and one first-round pick in addition was a questionable return—but also of completely ignoring the implications of trading the most popular player in Dallas since Dirk Nowitzki.

"Nico Harrison knew he would be a punchline after making this deal...Why did he decide to build around KYRIE IRVING instead of Luka? Think about that for a second." – @stugotz790 lights up the Mavs GM for his trade with the Lakers.

"Do you realize how rare it is for America as… pic.twitter.com/PbALw6yEqT

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) February 3, 2025

"You’ve tried to ruin the game we love because you don’t understand why we’re even here."

Strong stuff from Kirk https://t.co/lverhCftBE

— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) February 3, 2025

Nico Harrison has to be so far in basketball business that he doesn't understand fans, man.

"They'll like us when we win." That's 99% true. You somehow found the 1%.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) February 2, 2025

been thinking about this more and Nico Harrison is going to go down as one of the worst executives in sports history for this https://t.co/2jeXZakW0b

— Seerat Sohi (@seeratsohi) February 2, 2025

Those implications were very quickly on display:

Mavs fans really held a funeral outside the arena. 😅 (via athenuhhhhhh/ig) pic.twitter.com/65Kbt4GoEm

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) February 3, 2025

Mavs fans are crashing out 😭

(📽️: @FOX4)pic.twitter.com/VdsYtReK3D

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) February 3, 2025

The fact that Harrison wanted to move quickly, and quietly, to trade Dončić in an effort to avoid the sort of fan backlash that could have nixed the deal will make an already unpopular move in Dallas all the more loathed.

It is basically unheard of that a franchise's best and most popular player—in this case, a perennial MVP candidate and five-time first-team All-NBA selection who is averaging 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game for his career—is traded in his prime unless he forces such a move. Those types of players are hard to come by.

Instead, Harrison and the Mavericks decided they wanted to get out of the Dončić business, and they wanted to do so before fans could let their feelings be known on the matter. No matter how the Mavs' front office and ownership spins it, that's the sort of decision that has the potential to create a major rift between an organization and its fans.

De'Aaron Fox will switch from his iconic No. 5 to No. 4 as he moves from Sacramento to San Antonio, while rookie Stephon Castle, the fourth overall pick last year, will keep No. 5.

first look at the new threads 👀 pic.twitter.com/xAVjzaefai

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 4, 2025

Breaking News from the Uniform Czar. De'Aaron Fox has changed his mind. He will wear #4 in honor of his wife Recee'. San Antonio's own was a McDonald's All American at Johnson High School and wore #4 at Texas Tech. pic.twitter.com/0rUxsXmgee

— Don Harris (@DonHarris4) February 3, 2025

Fox was initially planning to take No. 2 for the Spurs, as broadcaster Don Harris noted:

Area 51 will remain Castle and Wemby. De’Aaron Fox will wear #2. So says the Uniform Czar.😉 Area 21 has a nice ring to it too. timmy d forever. pic.twitter.com/ctslyGeATE

— Don Harris (@DonHarris4) February 3, 2025

Fox was traded Sunday to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team deal that sent the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings.

Fox was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, which influenced his jersey number. In addition, after wearing No. 0 at Kentucky, he switched back to No. 5 as a tribute to his high school days at Cypress Lakes High School and his time with Team USA.

With the Kings, Fox averaged 21.5 points, 6.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game over nearly eight seasons. He shot 47.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.

Castle was initially considered a key piece in trade discussions for Fox. However, after expecting to include the former first-round pick to land the All-Star guard, the Kings completed the deal without moving him, per the Sporting News' Daniel Mader.

Fox was set to be the first person to wear No. 2 for the Spurs since Kawhi Leonard, who won 2014 Finals MVP in the number. However, he will instead put the No. 4 on his back.

Following his trade, Fox took to social media to share heartfelt words for the organization he started with.

"Sacramento I can't quite find the words to express want I want to say, but thank you," Fox wrote. "Coming in as a 19-year-old kid and leaving as 27-year-old man, I'm grateful got to spend the beginning of my young adulthood here."

Sac Proud💜 pic.twitter.com/2YHqJ8rWLD

— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) February 3, 2025

"The love for the city is unmatched. To the fans - y'all deserve the best. I wanted to end my career here and never expected it would end this way, but I'll always be grateful for your support. Thank you for the love you've showed me and my family. Sacramento will always hold a special place in my heart. - Fox"

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.

🚨 The Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/KcH7NNmvWk

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2025

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.

Luka Dončić put on a SHOW in San Francisco!

🔥 45 PTS (16-23 FGM)
🔥 11 REB
🔥 13 AST
🔥 6 3PM
🔥 3 STL
🔥 2 BLK

Mavs win their 8th of their last 9 games! pic.twitter.com/97MfOEpja5

— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2024

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.

KYRIE AND AD IN DALLAS 😳

Can this duo lead the Mavs to another Finals?! 👀 pic.twitter.com/nGWqGnd70r

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2025

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."

"I texted (Mark Cuban) and I said, 'I'm so confused.' He wrote back, 'That makes two of us." - @ChandlerParsons📲

The Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers shocked the former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks.@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/3EyMZWBvgW

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 3, 2025

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:

I asked @mcuban for his reaction to the trade of Doncic, whom the Mavericks acquired on draft night seven years ago under Cuban's watch as majority owner.

Cuban responded with four letters: "MFFL".

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) February 2, 2025

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.

Mark Cuban’s quote when asked about trading Luka in 2020 😅

Cuban is a minority owner of the Mavs since selling most of his stake and is no longer involved basketball operations for Dallas pic.twitter.com/7Mgc4EFozO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2025

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 Miami Heat are running out of time to trade disgruntled star Jimmy Butler prior to Thursday's deadline, so they reportedly could consider an offer from a team that's not on his list of preferred destinations.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have not given up on the idea of trading for Butler even though he's not interested in playing for them, stating that the team "continued weighing its own Butler trade pursuit even though it knows Butler doesn't want to play there."

While Butler may be hesitant to go to Memphis, there aren't many options remaining before the trade deadline. Fischer noted that the Dallas Mavericks, who recently traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, "are not pursuing Butler or [Kevin] Durant."

Still, the Mavs are expected to remain active before the deadline, and Fischer stated that this has caused "many league observers to suggest that a Butler deal, at this juncture, is as likely to involve the [Golden State] Warriors or the Milwaukee Bucks as the [Phoenix] Suns finally getting him."

Fischer added that "the upcoming rise in Grizzlies' upcoming payroll, including a lucrative contract extension looming for Jaren Jackson Jr., is at the heart of" their continued pursuit of Butler.

At 33-16, Memphis ranks second in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-9). The Grizzlies lead the league with 123.4 points per game despite star point guard Ja Morant being limited to 28 games this season due to various injuries.

Adding Butler to the mix would undoubtedly put Memphis over the top as a title contender. His veteran experience and contributions on both ends of the floor would make him a perfect fit for the Grizzlies, who have been without veteran point guard Marcus Smart since Dec. 21.

It would be wise for Butler to open himself up to the idea of being traded to Memphis, as the team could present his best chance to compete for a championship this season.

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.

KD'S HESI HAD WEMBY LOST 🥶 pic.twitter.com/EsaeB2Y5vW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 4, 2024

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.

After being traded from the Mavs Luka is now INELIGIBLE for a $345M SUPER MAX CONTRACT 😳😬 pic.twitter.com/MQJ7P03Yc4

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2025

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.