As Luka Doncic prepares for his second game in Dallas since being traded to the Lakers last February, reporting from Christian Clark and Dan Woike of The Athletic highlights a clear divide between how the Mavericks viewed the situation and how the Slovenian star’s camp sees it.
On the Dallas side, sources indicated that concerns about the player’s conditioning and long-term durability played a role in the decision to move him.
Team officials were uneasy about his habits and the calf strain he suffered in late December 2024, fearing potential future injuries.
One source inside the organization even likened Doncic to Elvis Presley, suggesting the trade served as a turning point in his physical preparation.
“They (fans) got skinny Elvis,” the team source told The Athletic.
However, people close to Doncic strongly dispute that framing and believe that thinking was part of the reason he ultimately was no longer with the Mavericks.
According to Clark and Woike, Doncic’s camp felt that regardless of whether he was traded, he “was on a path to improving his diet and conditioning as he matured.”
From their perspective, progress in those areas was already happening naturally.
The report adds that the 6-time All-Star and those around him are not focused on revisiting past narratives or debating blame.
Instead, they are looking ahead, concentrating on the present and future as he continues the next phase of his career in Los Angeles.
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