Luka Doncic drove his blue `68 Camaro into the American Airlines Center parking garage and grabbed his new cowboy hat from the passenger seat. It was December 25, 2022.
Doncic put on the black hat as he got out of his classic car, completing an outfit that was a tribute to his adopted home state. He wore a black western shirt with a bolo tie, Wrangler jeans, and Lucchese boots. He looked like a true Texan.
“Howdy, howdy,” Doncic greeted people with a smile as he entered the arena.
It was a big day for the Dallas Mavericks, hosting LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in a high-profile game. Doncic arrived early to watch the unveiling of a statue of Dirk Nowitzki, his friend and former teammate, near the street named after the German star who led the Mavericks to their only NBA championship.
“Loyalty never fades away,” read the inscription on the base of the 23-foot statue showing Nowitzki`s signature one-legged shot. The words captured Nowitzki`s 21-year career with the Mavericks and his bond with the franchise.
It was inspiring for Doncic, who imagined a similar career, though maybe not as long as Nowitzki`s. Doncic played well, scoring 32 points with 9 rebounds and 9 assists, leading the Mavs to a win over the Lakers, who were without Anthony Davis due to injury.
Doncic changed into Jordan sweats with his logo after the game but stayed in character, jokingly saying he had a “horny toad” as a pet.
“Because I`m Texan,” Doncic said, smiling.
On February 1, 2025, about two years later, the Mavs` social media showed a video of Doncic`s western outfit from a few Christmases prior. “Happy National Texas Day, y`all,” the Instagram caption said.
Hours later, before midnight in Dallas, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison agreed to trade Doncic to the Lakers in a major NBA shock. Doncic, who had led the Mavs to the NBA Finals months earlier, was traded for a package including Davis.
Team sources told ESPN that this decision might cost the franchise a lot of money over the next few years. The Mavs are expected to lose millions this season due to lower attendance, merchandise sales, and sponsors leaving after the trade. Many fans canceled season tickets, and the Mavs offered limited refunds to try and regain goodwill.
The franchise plans to show a tribute video for Doncic, giving fans a chance to remember his time with the Mavs and regret that it ended. Sources also said that sponsorship deals for a game were canceled because Doncic`s team didn`t approve, noting he now played for the Lakers.
Now, many Mavs fans are questioning their loyalty as Doncic returns to Dallas in a Lakers uniform. His first game back at the American Airlines Center will be a strange mix of celebrating his successful 6½ seasons with the Mavs and sadness that it didn`t last.
“The trade happened,” Mavs forward P.J. Washington said after a loss on March 16. “We have a new team now. We`re tired of hearing criticism. We want to play, and we need fans to support us, no matter who`s playing. That`s how I feel.”
Harrison kept the Doncic trade talks secret partly to avoid fan backlash influencing the decision.
Harrison convinced Mavs governor Patrick Dumont that signing Doncic to a huge contract extension would be a bad investment, believing Doncic`s health would decline due to his approach to fitness.
“If we lost fans` trust, I apologize,” Dumont said on February 13. “We hope to regain that trust through hard work. Hopefully, people will see that our decision was right in the long run. Time will tell.”
The Mavs traded a great player to create a three- to four-year window to contend for a title. Harrison mentioned this timeframe to reporters on February 2. It was his only media appearance since the trade.
But that window got shorter quickly.
Davis, recovering from an injury when traded, played well in his Mavericks debut on February 8, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the first half. However, he got injured again in the third quarter and missed the next six weeks.
Kyrie Irving, important for scoring after Doncic`s trade, suffered a serious knee injury on March 3, likely sidelining him into next season. Davis and Irving, Harrison`s key acquisitions, played only 25 minutes together as Mavericks this season.
Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II recently returned from injuries and are on limited minutes as the Mavs try to reach the play-in tournament, far from being contenders.
“We`re missing Kai, so we don`t know how good we could be,” Davis admitted.
Still, Davis insisted on playing to finish the season, hoping for a playoff run despite the odds. No team has ever won a playoff series after coming from the 9/10 play-in game.
“We can`t think about `what if`,” Davis said. “We have to play with who we have and focus on the present.”
Meanwhile, Doncic has helped the Lakers become contenders again. When the trade happened, the Lakers were fifth in the West, just ahead of the Mavericks. Now, the Lakers are third, even after a recent loss where Doncic was ejected. He is still adjusting to the Lakers after his longest injury break.
“I know it`s been two months, but I`m still adapting,” Doncic said recently, averaging 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists for the Lakers. “It was a big change, but it`s getting better.”
Nowitzki was shocked by the trade and spent an hour in his hotel room in the Maldives, trying to believe it was real. He flew to Los Angeles for Doncic`s Lakers debut to support his former teammate.
“I`ll always be a Mavs fan, but this trade really hurt,” Nowitzki said. “It will take time for everyone to process it.”
Doncic said he was very upset after the trade, which happened as he was buying a home in Dallas.
“Dallas was my home for almost seven years,” Doncic said. “It really felt like home.”
Mavs fans quickly connected with Doncic when he arrived from Europe as a teenager, taking over from Nowitzki. Doncic`s exciting style of play made him a fan favorite.
“Every game, he`d give you amazing moments,” said Jeremy Williams, a long-time season ticket holder. “You`d call your friends and family to share what you just saw.”
Nowitzki is perhaps the most loved athlete in Dallas sports history. Doncic was heading in that direction. Despite some flaws, fans were very supportive of him.
“It`s like a hero`s journey, watching him figure things out,” said Kirk Henderson of Mavs Moneyball. “He`s clearly special, and fans are sad to miss seeing him become even greater.”
Mavs fans were surprised and saddened by Harrison`s decision. Protests occurred after the trade.
“We always had Dirk or Luka to bring us joy,” Williams said. “I went through shock, anger, and denial like everyone else. I guess I`m still in denial.”
Mavs fans generally like Davis, but it`s not the same as rooting for Doncic, who felt like part of the city. “Fire Nico” chants have appeared at local events.
Doncic`s jerseys are still very common at Mavs games. Williams has bought many Doncic jerseys for himself and his son.
“It`s sad to see them in my closet,” Williams said.
Williams won`t wear a Doncic jersey to the upcoming game. Instead, he plans to wear a green shirt with “NICO SUCKS” on it, knowing he might get kicked out for it.
“If they kick me out, it`ll be my first time in years of going to games,” Williams said. “I`ll wear it with pride.”
Williams won`t buy a Lakers Doncic jersey. He understands fans who follow Doncic to the Lakers, but he can`t bring himself to root for them.
“If he had gone to another team, maybe I`d root for them,” Williams said. “But it`s the Lakers, and I`m a lifelong Mavs fan. I still root for the Mavs, but it`s hard. I just can`t root for anyone on the Lakers.”
