The backlash that came to the Dallas Mavericks after trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers was quick and very loud. The franchise was blasted by both the media and fans not only for the decision to deal their franchise player, but also the return they got back as well as their reasonings in wanting to move on.
In the aftermath of everything that went down, including Doncic’s offseason body transformation that answers the questions about whether he could get himself in elite shape, some might wonder whether there are some regrets within the Mavericks organization. But CEO Rick Welts isn’t feeling that.
In an interview on Bloomberg TV, Welts said that he has no regrets on the decision to deal Doncic to the Lakers and wishes him all the best in L.A. but also hopes to beat the Lakers every time they play:
“You can’t have fear or regrets in this business. It’s all about how you move forward so it doesn’t really serve a purpose to have regrets. What I will say, I learned about the depth of the connection between Mavericks fans and this team and that to me is half glass full because I knew we could restore that over time. I didn’t think it would happen quite as quickly perhaps as its happened. I would also say I’m incredibly proud of how the organization presented itself for Luka’s first game back at American Airlines Center when he was a Los Angeles Laker. I think if you watch that game, it was an opportunity for fans to say thank you. You saw the emotion on Luka’s face, you saw the way that night unfolded in tributes to Luka. I think he’ll always be such a big part of the history here. And we wish him nothing but good luck, but we also hope we beat his team every time we play them going forward.”
Welts makes a decent point in that what’s done is done and it serves no purpose in harping on the past. It is also true that the Mavericks drafting Cooper Flagg has helped to reinvigorate the franchise and help bring some fan support back. But make no mistake, there is still some resentment from fans about dealing Doncic to the Lakers and seeing him in the best shape of his life ready to lead the Lakers to success has to sting some.
He may hope to beat the Lakers every time they play the Mavericks, but if Luka brings a championship to L.A. before Dallas can hoist another trophy, that regret may start to kick in and fans will undoubtedly come down on him once again.
Luka Doncic’s offseason transformation was planned before trade to Lakers
While many assume that being dealt to the Lakers played a role in inspiring Luka Doncic to get in the best shape of his life this offseason, this commitment was reportedly in the works before the trade ever took place.
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