The Day After: Processing The Luka Dončić Trade

Still no logic, but new info reveals a lot

Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images

‘Closing your eyes isn't going to change anything. Nothing's going to disappear just because you can't see what's going on.’ - Haruki Murakami

Yesterday might have been the longest day of my life.

What started as a rare, longer-than-usual Sunday sleep quickly turned into a full-day frenzy—exchanging hundreds of texts, trying to process every angle of the most stunning trade in NBA history.

The day ended at 2 a.m., after turning a Mavs-Cavs TV broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenija into two and a half hours of live, podcast-style trade analysis. And in the middle of it all, Luka’s dad, Saša, dropped a halftime quote that went viral.

Photo by Arena Sport Slovenija

So, this post is everything I learned yesterday. Me, trying to make sense of this shocking move after talking to Mavericks people—inside and outside the organization—other NBA insiders, media voices, Luka’s dad, and plenty of smart basketball minds whose opinions I trust.

Quick note to all the new subscribers who came on board yesterday. Luka fans, Lakers fans, pissed-off Mavs fans, and other NBA fans, first, thank you!

I’ll be writing much more about this fascinating trade in the coming days, covering Luka’s angle, the Lakers’ perspective, the Mavericks’ decisions, and anything else that unfolds next.

The secrecy of a one-man operation

Here’s what the framework for this stunning trade looked like based on what I’ve learned yesterday:

• Nico Harrison admitted he spoke only with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and that they kept the discussions secret from everyone else, including Jason Kidd.

• Dončić did not request a trade, nor did he give the Mavericks any signals that he wouldn’t sign his next supermax extension. Harrison confirmed that. In his statement, Dončić said he had hoped to spend his career in Dallas. He was even in the process of investing in a new house in Dallas.

• Team employees typically involved in processing such major decisions had no knowledge of the trade.

• Harrison made it clear that he alone was making the decisions, while Kidd referred to it as "Nico’s vision."

• Both Harrison and Kidd admitted this was a win-now move.

Based on all of the above, one can conclude that moving on from a five-time All-NBA First Team, five-time All-Star was Harrison's idea—one he was determined to execute without involving or hearing any other voice that might dissuade him or, more importantly, alert anyone who could prevent it from happening.

Ego is the enemy

I borrowed this title from one of my favorite books by Ryan Holiday, a bestselling author, marketer, and modern Stoic known for his work on philosophy, strategy, and personal growth. Holiday explains that introducing ego into a situation often prevents us from being rational, objective, and clear headed.

A person close to the situation described this trade as the ultimate Harrison power trip, calling him a power-hungry man. Another observer said Harrison removed anyone who held a different view. I’m not close enough to say there’s no other perspective on this situation. These are the views of people who either left or don’t necessarily align with the current vision.

But what’s clear is that there is a Nico vision, and Dončić might be the last—and by far the biggest—piece that didn’t fit into it.

There is a well-documented list of people close to Dončić who have left or were forced out since Harrison took over. Scott Tomlin, the team’s longtime VP of basketball communications. Casey Smith, the longtime athletic trainer, widely regarded as one of Dončić’s closest allies in the organization. Igor Kokoškov, an assistant coach during Kidd’s first year, was another departure. He coached Dončić to a EuroBasket title in 2017 and served as his pregame workout partner—a role he took over from Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, another voice Dončić deeply respected. Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Boban Marjanović, three players Dončić respected and was close with, all left the Mavericks during Harrison’s tenure. Another person who had a short tenure in Dallas, not necessarily from Dončić's circle but well-respected around the league, was Dennis Lindsey, who left for Detroit in the summer.