Mavericks GM Nico Harrison: I Have ‘No Regrets’ Trading Luka Doncic To Lakers

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison told NBA reporters on Tuesday in a private media session that he has “no regrets” trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

The Mavericks acquired Anthony Davis and Max Christie from the Lakers for Doncic. 

“There’s no regrets on the trade,” Harrison said, via CBS News Texas. “Part of it is doing the best thing for the Mavs.”

After the Mavericks-Lakers trade happened, veteran NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Harrison no longer wanted the Dallas franchise to orbit around Doncic. 

“Yet naturally now, with a bit of distance from the initial shock, you have begun to hear more of the whispers that the Mavericks had somehow concealed for months,” Stein wrote. “Whispers via league sources suggesting that Dallas’ decision-makers, most notably general manager Nico Harrison, no longer wanted Planet Mavericks to orbit around Dončić and had grown determined to trade him by this summer at the latest.”

Doncic appeared in 422 games with the Mavericks. He averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists and made five All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams.

The Mavericks were not happy with Doncic’s weight and conditioning.

During an interview with NBA reporter Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Dallas governor Patrick Dumont insinuated that Doncic didn’t work hard. 

“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” Dumont said. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks. That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do it with us.”