Luka Doncic on Mavs firing Nico Harrison: Focused on Lakers - ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY — After one of the most lopsided defeats of his career, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic was asked to comment on the orchestrator of what many consider to be one of the most lopsided trades in league history, the deal that sent him to L.A. from the Dallas Mavericks. Nico Harrison, the Dallas president of basketball operations and general manager who first approached Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka with the trade idea in January, was fired by Mavs governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday.

Following L.A.'s 121-92 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, Doncic was asked for his reaction to the dismissal.

«The city of Dallas, the fans, the players, they'll always have a special place in my heart,» Doncic said. «I thought I was going to stay there forever, but I didn't. So, that will always be a special place for me. I will always call it home. But right now, I'm focused on the Lakers and trying to move on. But obviously, always there will be a part of me there.

»But just trying to move on and focus on what I'm doing here."

A reporter followed up by asking whether Doncic could ever envision returning to play for the Mavericks now that Harrison no longer works for the organization.

«Right now, I'm just focused on the Lakers,» Doncic said. «No further comments.»

Harrison shocked the basketball world in February when he traded Doncic to the Lakers in a deal centered around Anthony Davis, Max Christie and L.A.'s 2029 first-round pick. Maxi Kleber, who was included by the Mavericks to make the salaries line up, also was asked for his reaction to the Harrison news after the Lakers' morning shootaround session.

«It's a fast business, man,» Kleber said. «Players, GMs,