Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison was candid in his surprising motivation to trade Doncic, which led to fury amongst the team's fanbase. Harrison said that "defense wins championships" through ESPN quickly following the move, speaking to his rationale in prioritizing Davis and his willingness to deal Doncic.

The Dallas Mavericks surprisingly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that also sent Anthony Davis to the Mavs. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall revealed that Doncic sent a three-word text message to the team's group chat following the shocking news.

The Dallas Mavericks' first game since trading Luka Doncic away looked as depressing as you might have expected, especially after Doncic's final text to his former teammates was revealed.