Mavs GM makes head-scratching statement about fans' love for Luka Doncic after trade

Chris Broussard breaks down whether a championship would mean more for Luka Doncic or LeBron James at this stage in their careers

The Dallas Mavericks made the shocking decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers before the deadline earlier in the season – a move that will likely haunt the team's fan base for years to come.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison’s answers on the trade have not sat well with anyone who enjoys the NBA or are fans of the team. On Monday, Harrison addressed the trade once again after the team’s playoff hopes were dashed in the play-in tournament.

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Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center in Dallas, April 9, 2025. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

"I did know that Luka was important to the fan base," Harrison told a small group of reporters. "I didn't quite know it to what level."

The Lakers’ Doncic acquisition re-energized the team’s NBA championship chances. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games for the Lakers.

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Nico Harrison, the Mavericks' general manager, watches the team play against the Toronto Raptors in Dallas, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Harrison said he expected criticism from the trade but thought it would have died down sooner if Anthony Davis was able to play more with Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II. Davis suffered an injury in the first game he played for Dallas. Irving suffered a season-ending injury as well.

"We feel that’s a championship-caliber team and we would have been winning at a high level and that