Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki has spoken out about the shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Like many Mavericks fans, Nowitzki was blindsided by the move and admitted that it hit him on a personal level.
Nowitzki, who spent his entire career with the Mavericks and led them to an NBA championship in 2011, shared his reaction on the 41 Campus podcast with his sister, Silke Mayer. He revealed that he was on vacation when the news broke, and the unexpected trade left him stunned.
Nowitzki was in disbelief
“I don’t think anyone saw it coming that the Mavs would ever trade Luka,” Nowitzki said. “So for me, it was totally unexpected, completely out of nowhere. I was so stunned that I just put everything aside. We were supposed to go for a quick lunch with the family before flying out, but instead, I sat in my room for an hour, scrolling through X, trying to figure out if it was real.”
Doncic was expected to be the future of the Mavericks, following in Nowitzki’s footsteps as the franchise’s next superstar. However, Dallas made the shocking decision to send him to Los Angeles, a move that Nowitzki admitted was difficult to process.
Supporting Doncic despite the trade
Nowitzki remains loyal to the Mavericks but acknowledged that seeing Doncic in a Lakers uniform was a surreal moment.
It was such a strange situation,” Nowitzki said. “I was standing in that empty stadium, and then he ran onto the court-in yellow. It was just an unbelievably bizarre moment for me. And of course, it’s going to take weeks and months before it starts to feel a little more normal.
Despite the shock, Nowitzki made it clear that he still supports Doncic and even attended his first game with the Lakers. While it was difficult to see him playing for another team, Nowitzki wanted to show Doncic that their friendship remains strong, regardless of the Mavericks‘ decision.
It’s a tough situation, but in my tweet, I made it clear I will always be a Mavs fan. But this trade really hurt,” Nowitzki admitted. “And it will take a while before everyone processes it and moves on.
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