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The Dallas Mavericks were reportedly "over" Luka Doncic before they decided to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell Marc Stein. The Mavericks had cooled on Doncic's insistence on hiring his own team of training experts to handle the bulk of his medical and nutritional needs separate from the club beginning with the 23-24 season.

Doncic has relied almost exclusively on Javier Barrio Calvo as his own director of health and performance after they worked together at Real Madrid, as well as Slovenian countryman Anze Macek as his full-time strength and conditioning coach. Doncic was responsible for paying his staff himself.

Doncic was up for a five-year, $345 million supermax extension this offseason, which the team had apprehensions about offering. 

Via Marc Stein/The Stein Line

There's honestly no plausible narrative that Dallas can come up with that justifies this trade.

No matter what issues they had with Luka behind the scenes, the return that they got for him is embarrassing.

Not only he didn't demand the franchise to hire them but he was paying them from his own salary. From all the leaks that are coming from the franchise there's nothing even close to be borderline serious from a 25 yo superstar that took them to the Finals. It's a silly trade and the Mavs can't make this up.

Isn’t this normal for a generational player

Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

pushfloater wrote:Isn’t this normal for a generational player

I don't think they see him as a generational player. Talent is there, but work ethic doesn't seem to be. Can't say I know that for sure, but it's not looking good.

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Um, Luka is better than Kobe was at this stage of their careers. And it's not even that close.

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Luka is a lot better than Kobe was at 25. He has always been the best player on his team and never had anyone close to Shaq to team up with. He became a superstar playing in Dallas. In LaLa land he will get a LOT more foul calls and he will be able to hack opposing players without getting called for fouls. The NBA will do anything possible to get the Lakers deep into the playoffs. If Kobe had stayed with Charlotte and played his career there he would have been a very good player and probably made the all star team a few times but he would not have been the Kobe he became. Average Laker players are treated like stars by the refs. The way the refs treat star laker players is really close to professional wrestling. The NBA should be embarrassed.

This is literally the stupidest thing I've ever read.

We're over the best player in basketball. 6 months after he lead us to the Finals.

blzbo67 wrote:

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Luka is a lot better than Kobe was at 25. He has always been the best player on his team and never had anyone close to Shaq to team up with. He became a superstar playing in Dallas. In LaLa land he will get a LOT more foul calls and he will be able to hack opposing players without getting called for fouls. The NBA will do anything possible to get the Lakers deep into the playoffs. If Kobe had stayed with Charlotte and played his career there he would have been a very good player and probably made the all star team a few times but he would not have been the Kobe he became. Average Laker players are treated like stars by the refs. The way the refs treat star laker players is really close to professional wrestling. The NBA should be embarrassed.

I wonder if IND sometimes gets the benefit of the whistle because the refs are momentarily fooled by their yellow jerseys!

Pickled Prunes wrote:

blzbo67 wrote:

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Luka is a lot better than Kobe was at 25. He has always been the best player on his team and never had anyone close to Shaq to team up with. He became a superstar playing in Dallas. In LaLa land he will get a LOT more foul calls and he will be able to hack opposing players without getting called for fouls. The NBA will do anything possible to get the Lakers deep into the playoffs. If Kobe had stayed with Charlotte and played his career there he would have been a very good player and probably made the all star team a few times but he would not have been the Kobe he became. Average Laker players are treated like stars by the refs. The way the refs treat star laker players is really close to professional wrestling. The NBA should be embarrassed.

I wonder if IND sometimes gets the benefit of the whistle because the refs are momentarily fooled by their yellow jerseys!

No way in the world he is on Kobe’s level at 25. Shag was the numero uno in the 2000 championship,but the subsequent championships was a toss up as Kobe dominated the western conference, which was at that time, the actual final as the east was weak then. Shag was the match up advantage going against the likes of Mutombo, Rik Smith and Collins brothers who were not that great offensively to present a challenge.

As per Luka, he doesn't play defense and his game is not suitable for a co-star. Remind me of the Allen Iverson and Jerry stackhouse dynamic.

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Luka has never been on Kobe’s level. He doesn't play defense and I am not sure his game suitable for a winning team. He reminds me of the Allen Iverson and Jerry stackhouse 76ers team. Iverson dominates the ball so much it is easy to mess up the redeem of another star player. Players like that thrive with role players,but you need 2 stallion to win the chip. Iverson went to the finals with Eroc Snow, Aaron Mckey and Mutombo. This were great players but not a solid stallion. Likewise with Luka and kyrie last year. The only difference is that kyrie is a stallion too. Luka dribble dribble and shoot a step back. Kobe was lethal on offense and on defense. I believe at 25, he already had 3 rings.

Yeah, those grapes were probably sour, anyhow.

Starzz13 wrote:

Barcs wrote:Whatever he's doing with his fitness training hasn't worked. Not sure why but this dude is the epitome of super high talent and weak work ethic. He's a superstar, no doubt, but he can be better. He could be at Kobe Bryant level if his physique was on par with his talent. He should probably be following the team fitness staff instead of hiring his own.

Um, Luka is better than Kobe was at this stage of their careers. And it's not even that close.

Luka's defense isn't even in the same stratosphere as Kobe.

blzbo67 wrote:Luka is a lot better than Kobe was at 25. He has always been the best player on his team and never had anyone close to Shaq to team up with. He became a superstar playing in Dallas. In LaLa land he will get a LOT more foul calls and he will be able to hack opposing players without getting called for fouls. The NBA will do anything possible to get the Lakers deep into the playoffs. If Kobe had stayed with Charlotte and played his career there he would have been a very good player and probably made the all star team a few times but he would not have been the Kobe he became. Average Laker players are treated like stars by the refs. The way the refs treat star laker players is really close to professional wrestling. The NBA should be embarrassed.

I agree with most of your post here but Luka is not better than Kobe, and he did team up with Kyrie Irving and got to play a year with Nowitzki. I do think this was a good move for the Lakers, but most people have Kobe top 5 of all time. Luka doesn't have a prayer to enter that category if he doesn't fix his fitness and defense.

What I'm saying is that Luka has a chance to be in that conversation, but doesn't seem to have the work ethic.