The Luka Doncic trade by the Dallas Mavericks has the potential to go down as the worst trade in NBA history. Not just because of the ramifications of the trade on the court but also because of what Doncic meant to the team and the legends that have made the Mavs great. The most important of these legends, Dirk Nowitzki, decided to announce his latest stance about the franchise on Monday.
For many years, Nowitzki has been the undisputed GOAT of the Dallas Mavericks, delivering their first and only championship in 2011. However, following the trade of his successor and close friend, The German Wunderkind decided to show up at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to support the Lakers’ debut of Luka Doncic.
The decision by Dirk Nowitzki to watch Doncic debut for the Lakers has to be particularly damning for the Nico Harrison-led Mavericks front office. Nowtizki is a regular at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, yet he chose to go and support Doncic in Los Angeles instead of watching the Mavs take on the Sacramento Kings in a crucial Western Conference matchup.
The 46-year-old former star pledged his lifelong allegiance to the Mavericks despite the frustrations of seeing someone like Luka Doncic be traded away, but he remains amongst the few to do so. Ever since the Mavericks pulled the trigger on trading away their future franchise cornerstone, the outrage from across the fanbase has been tremendous, with many deciding to boycott the $4.5 billion franchise.
Dirk Nowitzki cheers on in Luka Doncic’s rough debut
Dirk Nowitzki was one of many in attendance for Luka Doncic’s highly anticipated debut in the star-studded city of Los Angeles. The Germinator has shared a special relationship as a friend and a mentor of the Slovenian star, so it was heartwarming to see him come out to support him with his new franchise while being seated alongside the family of the Doncic.
Once the game tipped off, all eyes were on watching what the addition of a healthy Luka Doncic does to the team. While the Lakers have already been on a roll of late, their dominance against the Utah Jazz was more than enough to outweigh a less-than-ideal debut game for Doncic.
Doncic finished the game with 14 points on 5-14 shooting from the field while struggling to find rhythm with his perimeter shot. Although he did play just 23 minutes, it was primarily due to the game being a major blowout and the Lakers’ cautious approach to treating Doncic’s return from a nearly 45-day injury.
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