The Big Lead

Luka Doncic's father says his son 'didn't deserve' to be traded by Mavericks

By Joe Lago

Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Details of the deteriorating relationship between the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic have emerged since the team shockingly decided to deal its 25-year-old franchise superstar to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Reportedly at the heart of Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison's rationale for making the blockbuster deal was the team's "major concerns" about Doncic's "constant conditioning issues" and a looming supermax contract extension for $345 million over five years.

RELATED: Mavericks deal Luka Doncic to Lakers in the most shocking NBA trade

Doncic arrived in L.A. on Sunday night to begin a new chapter in his NBA career, but his father still had plenty to say about his son's abrupt departure from Dallas.

In an interview with Arena Sport 1 in Slovenia, Sasa Doncic took the "secrecy" and "hypocrisy" of the Mavericks "personally."

"I understand there comes a moment when you disagree with a certain philosophy," Doncic said in Arena Sport 1's translation of the interview. "You don't like this or that player, all good. I get it.

"But I think that exactly this secrecy, or should I say from some individuals, maybe even hypocrisy, this hurts me personally. Because I think that Luka absolutely doesn't deserve this, giving the fact that, at least as I know, sacrificed himself enormously."

Doncic also refuted the stories about his son's lack of commitment to the franchise and to his physical fitness.

"I feel like this is unfair from some individuals because I know Luka respected Dallas a lot," the elder Doncic said. "He respected the whole city Dallas, the children. It was never a problem for him to go to hospitals, and to orphanages and to all these charity events."

"(Luka's conditioning) 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."

Luka Doncic was all smiles after he stepped off the plane at LAX on Sunday night. "What's up, Laker fans? I'm in L.A. Excited to meet you all," he said in a video on the Lakers' social media accounts.

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