The Dallas Mavericks will dedicate a video tribute to Luka Doncic... despite having let him go
The 26-year-old Slovenian superstar returns to what has been his home for over 6 years in the NBA, and they will thank him for his time in Texas.
The Dallas Mavericks will pay tribute to Luka Doncic for his contributions to the organization that originally drafted him when he returns to the American Airlines Center for the first time as a visiting player.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Mavs intend to play a tribute video for Doncic at some point during their game against Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. While it seemed likely that Doncic would be honored by the Mavs, the way the franchise parted ways with him and everything that followed at least left open the possibility that they might try to downplay his return.
Although no one within the organization has stated it directly, it has been widely reported that Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison simply believed that they would be better off without the 26-year-old superstar. Mavs governor Patrick Dumont said last month in a speech in the Dallas area that trading Doncic was done with an eye toward maximizing their roster for the future.
MacMahon reported at the time of the trade that the Mavs executives had significant concerns about Doncic's ongoing conditioning issues, as he was set to be eligible for a supermax contract this summer. Despite the Mavericks organization deciding that parting ways with Doncic was best for them, their fans are still devastated by the trade.
The Importance of Luka Doncic to the Dallas Mavericks
Some of the hysteria has subsided simply because time has passed, but it is nearly impossible to envision a scenario where fans come to accept why they no longer have possibly the best point guard in the NBA on their roster. Wednesday won't resolve the situation, but at least they'll have the chance to let Doncic know they appreciate what he brought to their team.
For the Mavs to pay tribute to Doncic is the least they could do, as he was instrumental in their success over his first six seasons, including a trip to the NBA Finals last season and an appearance in the 2022 Western Conference Finals. Doncic's five All-NBA First Team selections before turning 25 are the second most in NBA history, behind only LeBron James (six).
The Lakers-Mavs game at the American Airlines Center begins on Wednesday at 7:30 PM (local time).
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Dallas Mavericks dedicarán un vídeo homenajeando a Luka Doncic... a pesar de haberlo echado
