"Didn't Ask to Get Traded": Shannon Sharpe Rationalizes Luka Doncic's Trade to the Lakers Following Emotional Return to Dallas

Facing one's former team can often be emotional for players sometimes. It was tough for LeBron James to return back to Cleveland after taking his talents to the South Beach. It was tough for Karl Anthony-Towns as well, when he first played against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But for Luka Doncic, it was particularly emotional.

On Doncic's return, the Mavericks tried honoring the young star's contributions for the franchise with a tribute video that was played during the starting lineup introductions. Quite visibly, the 26-year-old star was sitting emotional on the Lakers bench, but that didn't stop him from slowing down or showing any signs of weakness against his former team.

Every time Doncic passed down the court with the ball, the crowd at Dallas kept cheering for him to the loudest. The Slovenian star dominated the game, scoring 31 points in the first half and 14 in the first quarter itself. He finished the night, adding to 45 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a 112-97 Lakers win.

Seeing Luka emotional on Wednesday's outing, NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, alongside Chad ‘Ocho Cinco’ Johnson and NBA star Patrick Beverley rationalized the trade from Luka and fans' perspective. Here is what the sporting pundits had to say after Luka's dominant win over his former team, the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic Didn't Ask to Get Traded: Shannon Sharpe

Often at times, trades of superstars in the NBA have been a matter of contention. This was the case even in the 1970s, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had asked to be traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Lakers, despite winning a championship with the Bucks. In LeBron James' case as well, he had willingly signed with the Miami Heat, back at Cleveland Cavaliers, and with the Lakers once his contract ran out. However, in Luka Doncic's case, the trade was orchestrated by the front office, a fate that no young superstar of this caliber had ever faced in league history.

Nico Harrison has been under great scrutiny since trading Doncic for Anthony Davis. And, the biggest irony here is that Doncic had eagerly expressed to remain with the Mavericks organization, especially after leading them to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.

After watching Luka Doncic seemingly emotional on the bench during Wednesday's game, Shannon Sharpe, on his podcast Nightcap had the following rationale for the same:

Sharpe argued how generational talents such as Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Michael Jordan ‘don’t come along' and are prodigal talents seen only a few times every 15 to 20 years. What baffled both Sharpe and Patrick Beverley was how could a front office, that had a star who was willing to commit to the franchise get traded this easily, without any conceivable options to rely upon.

A raging issue for the front office when Luka was still a Mavs player was his weight issue and off-court behavior. Indeed, just four months prior to the trade, the Mavs had a net rating of -0.3 with Luka on the floor and +9 when Luka was off. Furthermore, the Mavs scored 109.8 points per 100 possessions with Luka on the floor, compared to 113.3 points when Luka was off. This compares way below the league average of 113.1 points. Was a slow start all there was for the front office to be convinced about moving Luka? Maybe not.

The Dallas Mavericks are already facing the consequences of this trade at the moment. As Shannon Sharpe points out, the Mavs are expected to incur losses worth millions of dollars over the next few years. Following this trade, the crowds have started dwindling at the American Airlines Center and the franchise has recorded a high rise in cancellation of season-tickets and plummeting of merchandise. So, was the trade worth for the Mavs in the long run? No. However, the Lakers have made a bag and are looking to get the most out of it as they advance to the postseason.