NBA superstar Luka Dončić had a “negative interaction” with Patrick Dumont before the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, according to Lakers Daily.
The Mavericks traded Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
“When Lakers players asked Doncic why the Mavericks traded him, the future Hall of Famer told them that he thought his last conversation with Dumont may have played a role, sources said.”
Dumont and Dallas fired Nico Harrison as general manager. Lakers Daily is reporting that Dončić has told people close to him that he intends to spend the rest of his NBA career with the Purple and Gold and was “pissed off” when Dumont said the following quote to the Dallas Morning News last season:
“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. 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.”
The Lakers signed Dončić to a three-year, $165 million extension in August. The talented point-forward has close relationships with LeBron James, Austin Reaves and JJ Redick.
Los Angeles is 10-4 on the season and Dončić is averaging 34.4 points per game. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are 4-10 and could trade Davis, Klay Thompson and/or Daniel Gafford soon.
The Mavericks should have never traded Dončić, who averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game with the franchise and made five All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams. The Dončić trade will go down as the worst trade in NBA history.
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