Luka Dončić’s father, Sasa, lambasted the Dallas Mavericks for trading his son to the Los Angeles Lakers without any forewarning, describing the move as both hypocritical and secretive, according to Timothy Rapp’s article for Bleacher Report.
During a Slovenian broadcast of the Mavs versus Cleveland Cavaliers game, Sasa expressed his personal hurt over the lack of transparency surrounding the deal, emphasizing that his son deserved better treatment from those involved.
He lamented that Luka, who had shown immense respect for Dallas and contributed positively to the community, was not given the courtesy of a heads-up before the trade was finalized.
“I think that exactly this secrecy—or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy—this hurts me personally,” he said.
“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 and helped children.”
Luka’s dad about the trade
#nba #lukadoncic #lukadoncictrade pic.twitter.com/muWUDKaxlT
— Arena Sport Slovenija (@ArenaSport_SI) February 2, 2025
Sasa recalled that similar criticisms were not raised last year when questions about his son’s fitness were made, suggesting that the current situation was more unfair and indicative of deeper issues within the organization.
Reports indicate that Luka played 92 games between the regular season and playoffs last year, but growing concerns over his conditioning and weight reportedly influenced the Mavericks’ decision-making process.
General Manager Nico Harrison has hinted that the team was never fully convinced about offering Dončić a five-year, $345 million supermax contract, which he was eligible for, and felt compelled to act before the situation escalated.
Harrison explained that the Mavericks wanted to control the narrative by choosing the trade on their own terms, rather than letting Luka or his agent leverage the situation, a move that also helped them avoid potential backlash from fans.
Ultimately, the trade of the franchise’s most popular player since Dirk Nowitzki—one who had been in his prime and showed no signs of wanting to leave—has left many, including those close to Dončić, feeling betrayed by the Mavericks’ handling of the situation.
The post Video: Luka Dončić’s dad slams Mavs for ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘secrecy’ after Lakers trade first appeared on Fastbreak.
0 comments: