Luka Doncic didn’t choose to be a part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ organization in February.
The five-time All-Star was perfectly content with operating as the Dallas Mavericks’ franchise point guard for the foreseeable future.
However, thanks to Nico Harrison (Mavericks general manager), Doncic was shockingly included in a blockbuster early February trade to the Lakers.
For clarity, the unexpected three-team deal sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers, Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks, and Jalen Hood-Schifino and two 2025 second-round picks to the Utah Jazz.
On Tuesday, Doncic got the last laugh as the Mavericks fired Harrison following a lousy 3-8 start to the 2025-26 season.
“BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks and owner Patrick Dumont are expected to fire general manager Nico Harrison at a 10 am Central Time meeting on Tuesday, sources tell me and Tim MacMahon,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X/Twitter.
“The Mavericks are firing Harrison nine months after the jarring and stunning Luka Doncic trade – a move for which Dumont took accountability and accepted as a mistake in a court-side interaction with a fan on Monday night.”
There’s no question that Doncic and the Lakers are the clear winners of last year’s stunning midseason transaction.
While the Lakers were unable to orchestrate a deep playoff run with Doncic after earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, they have a bright future with the former Mavericks phenomenon running the show.
Doncic has been near unguardable during the early portion of his first full season in Los Angeles, averaging 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field and 32.1% from three on a Lakers squad boasting a respectable 8-3 record.
The Mavericks, on the other hand, are struggling to win games early on and are already beginning to grow weary of Davis’ injury struggles (he’s missed Dallas’ last six games to a calf injury).
Cooper Flagg has been a bright spot for the 2011 NBA champions, but he hasn’t played well enough to convince fans that the Mavericks are in better shape than the surging, Doncic-led Lakers in mid-November.
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