The Athletic has dwell protection of Luka Dončić’s return to Dallas as a Laker.
DALLAS — Draped throughout the 20,000 spectator seats inside American Airways Heart had been t-shirts with the next message written in Slovenian, directed on the night’s particular visitor:
“Hvala za vse,” which implies “thanks for all the things.”
These shirts had been totally on the backs of the Mavericks devoted who adored Luka Dončić for six 1/2 seasons — and nonetheless do — when Dončić sat alone on the Los Angeles Lakers bench Wednesday night time, repeatedly wiping tears from his face with a towel, as a touching video tribute performed for him throughout pregame introductions.
Luka Dončić was moved to tears whereas watching his tribute video from the Mavericks 🥹
🎥 @NBATVpic.twitter.com/btW749ULbk
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 9, 2025
Nearly nobody outdoors of Mavs basic supervisor Nico Harrison’s workplace might have, up till the stunning information broke on Feb. 2, imagined any state of affairs the place the folks of Dallas had been welcoming Slovenian-born famous person Dončić as a part of the visiting staff, or thanking him, or rising emotional with him as he was launched as a member of the Lakers.
And definitely, not of their worst nightmares, might they’ve envisioned him scoring 45 factors — tying his season excessive — in opposition to Dallas.
However that’s exactly what transpired within the Lakers’ 112-97 win over the Mavericks within the first sport for Dončić in Dallas for the reason that blockbuster commerce from two lengthy months in the past.
“After that video, I used to be like, ‘There’s no approach I’m taking part in this sport,’” stated Dončić, who added eight rebounds and 6 assists in 38 minutes, and have become simply the third participant ever to attain 45 or extra factors of their first sport in opposition to their earlier staff.
“So many feelings. I simply went on the market and performed basketball,” Dončić stated. “It was a tremendous expertise — the followers, the way in which they accepted me, the way in which they cheered for me, it was simply unbelievable.”
Dončić, a five-time All-Star, perennial MVP candidate, and 26-year-old who had already led Dallas to 2 Western Convention finals and the NBA Finals final season, scored 31 of his factors in a blistering first half by which he shot 11-of-16 with six 3s. He notched his forty fifth level — tying his earlier season excessive of 45 for the Lakers in opposition to Milwaukee on March 13, and of 45 for the Mavs in opposition to Golden State on Dec. 15 — with a teardrop of a shot with 1:35 to go for a 110-94 lead.
The Mavs known as timeout, however Lakers coach JJ Redick left Dončić within the sport for yet one more second, so he might foul and get one final (of many) standing ovations from his adoring Dallas followers. His Laker teammates joined in cheering him as he walked to the bench.
“It was big-time as a result of (it confirmed) all of them have my again,” Dončić stated.
Earlier than the sport, Mavs coach Jason Kidd stated some had in contrast the buying and selling of Dončić to “Babe Ruth, which is form of cool.” It was a reference to the Crimson Sox’ dealing of Ruth in 1919 to their hated rival, the New York Yankees. Kidd has to hope the trades aren’t so related; the Boston commerce introduced in regards to the “Curse of the Bambino,” by which it took the Crimson Sox 86 years to win a World Sequence.
“While you take a look at simply the enterprise of sports activities, change occurs,” Kidd stated. “When change occurs, it’s those who stick with it and maintain shifting ahead — these are the particular folks. Followers are gonna be followers, they’ve a proper to boo, they’ve a proper to cheer. Hope continues to be in (the Mavs’) locker room.”
With the win, Los Angeles clinched a playoff berth, and LeBron James, who scored 13 of his 27 factors within the fourth quarter, surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the second-most video games performed (1,561 video games) in NBA historical past.
The opposite famous person within the Dončić commerce, Anthony Davis, performed his first sport in opposition to the Lakers and completed with 13 factors and 11 rebounds. Naji Marshall was Dallas’ prime scorer with 23 factors.
All of these issues took a again seat to the return of Dončić. A participant like him, simply getting into his prime, merely just isn’t traded. However early on Feb. 2, information broke that the Mavericks traded Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for Davis (a 10-time All-Star and 2020 champion with the Lakers), Max Christie and the Lakers’ first-round choose in 2029. Two franchises had been modified perpetually.
The Mavs selected to honor Dončić on Wednesday throughout introductions, as an alternative of on the first in-game timeout. It was the right factor to do, as Dončić, who by no means requested to be traded and stated he wished to play his complete profession in Dallas, was overcome with emotion as his video performed. When his title was lastly known as, and the gang roared, Dončić slowly walked by way of the gamers’ line, with lengthy embraces from Morris and James.
Dončić could have doubted his potential to play after filling up with all these feelings, however he rapidly confirmed the other was true. He scored 14 within the first quarter as the gang roared for his first bucket and erupted with “FIRE NICO” chants at varied stoppages in play, particularly when both staff was on the foul line.
“The second, the tribute video, and him sitting by himself, getting to really dwell that and dwell within the second, and permitting himself to be weak and his teammates, a few of his teammates bought emotional, a few of the coaches bought emotional — it’s a ravishing second,” Redick stated. “I believed the video was nice. … His potential to then go carry out, lights activate, he’s teary-eyed nonetheless as we stroll out on the courtroom for the tip ball. To have the emotional resolve to then placed on that form of efficiency, it’s superhuman.”
Reunion video games are widespread nowadays within the NBA, however they’re by no means fairly like this — when a participant simply getting into his prime, with the expertise, abilities, intangibles, and ties to a neighborhood, will get traded in opposition to his needs. There have been “MVP” chants for Dončić, and, by the way in which, loads of applause for the Mavericks’ gamers, too, nevertheless it was clear who was favored inside American Airways Heart. Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was in attendance for Dončić. He was there in Los Angeles when Dončić made his Lakers debut on Feb. 10.
“It was an unbelievable second, one thing I’ll most likely always remember, to be part of that second,” stated James, who has been concerned in his share of emotional reunion video games, in opposition to groups that drafted him, groups he led to championships and teammates who had been his wingmates.
“The child had seven wonderful seasons right here, and went from a child to a person, so for all these moments to only come collectively right this moment, it’s fairly cool,” James stated.
The Lakers acquired the subsequent face of their franchise in Dončić, already a co-standard bearer with James, who’s close to retirement. The Mavs say they restructured to win with protection, including Davis to an already giant frontcourt, and averted a disruptive summer time that may have adopted when Dončić would have been eligible for a five-year, $345 million contract extension.
Dončić insists he was all the time ready to signal and stay a Maverick for his complete profession. It has grow to be clear Harrison didn’t wish to provide Dončić the extension, stating typically that some gamers are higher matches culturally than others.
The commerce was met with nice anger from the Mavericks’ fan base; there have been protests inside and out of doors American Airways Heart, with patrons calling for Harrison’s job. Through the first few house video games after the commerce, followers protesting Harrison had been faraway from the world.
When the Mavs traveled to Los Angeles for the primary sport between the 2 franchises for the reason that commerce (Davis was out that night time with an harm), Laker followers thanked Harrison, who was in attendance, for making the commerce. The Lakers gained that sport and Dončić scored 19 factors in opposition to his previous staff, however his first journey to Dallas was all the time going to be the extra emotional reunion as a result of, nicely, this was house — a house he supposed to maintain.
“Speaking about closure is usually laborious as a result of I spent loads of time right here and had some nice moments,” Dončić stated. “It’s getting increasingly (his sense of closure), and I’ve to concentrate on various things now.”
Dallas nonetheless wants a win or a Phoenix loss to clinch a spot within the West’s Play-In Event subsequent week, which, actually, can be a triumph for the franchise on condition that Kyrie Irving went all the way down to a torn ACL on March 3. The Mavs had been in ninth place after they made the commerce, Davis was out with an harm on the time of the deal, after which he re-injured himself in his Dallas debut Feb. 8 and missed the subsequent 18 video games.
In virtually another scenario, Davis’ first sport in opposition to the Lakers would have been an enormous story. He’s represented by the identical tremendous agent who reps James — Wealthy Paul — they usually all engineered the commerce that introduced Davis to the Lakers from New Orleans in 2019. James and Davis had been practically inseparable at work and constructed a powerful relationship away from the ground. James known as taking part in in opposition to Davis “totally different” and stated “I ain’t bought snug but” with Davis not being his teammate.
When Mavs followers demand Harrison be fired, Davis hears the chants. He is aware of they aren’t directed at him, however he’s additionally conscious he was the centerpiece of what Dallas acquired in return. For followers to demand the overall supervisor be fired for a commerce that introduced somebody the caliber of Davis to the staff, nicely, he’s human and has an ego — as any NBA champion and multi-time All-Star, a top-75 all-time participant, would.
“Each of us had been stunned by (the commerce), however that was two months in the past,” Davis stated, speaking about himself and Dončić, who shared a postgame hug. “It occurred. There’s nothing we are able to do about it now. Simply advised him good sport. He performed a hell of a sport. It was a respect factor.”
— Christian Clark contributed to this story.
(Picture: Sam Hodde / Getty Pictures)
