NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
There might not be anything more controversial for the Dallas Mavericks than the trade of Luka Doncic. Back in February, Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal, including Anthony Davis. However, it was just recently that Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said he knew Luka was important to the fanbase, but didn’t know to what level.
Excuse me, but what?!? You’re the GM of the team, and you don’t know how important a star player is to the fan base. Let’s run down his list of accomplishments that even a non-NBA diehard can find on the internet.
You didn’t know that Luka was a franchise favorite despite:
EuroLeague
EuroLeague MVP
Final Four MVP
A 2-time Rising Star
A EuroLeague Champion
An All- All-EuroLeague First-Team Player
Was Nominated for their All-Decade Team in 2010-2020
NBA
A 5-time NBA All-Star
A 5-time First Team All-Star
A Rookie Of The Year
A 5-Time NBA Player of the Month
A 14-time Player of the Week
A 5-Time NBA Rookie of the Month
Best Selling Jersey: 2018-Current
If you don’t know that the guy whose jersey was the top seller since the year he arrived with the team meant a lot to the fans, you’re an idiot. The guy who achieved all the 5-time status with just 6 years of experience in the NBA, you didn’t think fans would be mad he got traded? The franchise player, who just turned 26 years old this season is averaging almost 30 points per game in his career. You didn’t think fans would care? That Luka Doncic, who was the face of the franchise and young enough to build a strong base of talent around and be successful for years to come? You’re honestly going to sit there with a straight face and say he wasn’t a guy who, if traded, would break fans’ hearts?
It’s not that you didn’t know; you didn’t care. Either you truly didn’t know, and it makes you a terrible GM, or you did know and didn’t care until the fans started chanting “Fire Nico” when Doncic returned with the Lakers, and the whole energy in the building shifted. You know exactly what you are doing, and you can make up all the stories you want to backpedal so you can try and sleep better at night. You’ve lost the fan base, and now you’re trying a PR stunt to soften the blow. Keep it up, and it won’t be long before the Dallas Mavericks listen to the fans’ chants.
