Luka Doncic leaks appear to be still coming out of the Mavericks’ front office and Rachel Nichols is left asking why.
“I don’t get why the Mavs are sharing this stuff,” Nichols said in a post on X. “If Dallas is right and Luka’s habits eventually cost the Lakers, there’ll be plenty of chances to sit back with all the I told you so’s. But if Luka wins a title in LA, all this talk is gonna make Dallas look even worse. Say less.”
The Athletic reported that the Mavericks had “issues” with Luka Doncic’s social habits, such as his drinking and smoking hookah.
Dallas traded the Slovenian sensation to the Lakers at the beginning of February in exchange for what most in the NBA considered to be a light package of Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison reportedly was unhappy with Doncic’s weight at the beginning of this season, with previous leaks expressing dissatisfaction with the guard weighing 270 pounds.
It was apparently so bad that the Mavericks sat him down with what they originally described as a wrist injury, just so they could work him into condition.
Doncic sat for two weeks, and he returned before injuring his calf on Christmas Day, which wound up being his last game as a Maverick.
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont also gave a jaw-dropping interview in which he alleged that Doncic had a character problem and they were trading him to invest in team culture.
“In my mind the way teams win is by focus, by having the right character, by having the right culture, and having the right dedication to work as hard as possible to create a championship-winning outcome,” Dumont said on Feb. 9. “And if you’re not doing that, you’re going to lose.”
Doncic has looked like a perfect fit for his new team.
He and co-star LeBron James have worked together in unison as Doncic takes control of the offense and his running mate focuses more on working off-ball and playing defense.
James scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against the Mavericks in a 107-99 victory on Tuesday night, while Doncic ended the game with a triple-double.
Los Angeles is 4-2 since Doncic entered the lineup on Feb. 10.