Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[SleepingHero]

I actually agree with the sentiment that loyalty is a 2-way street. I can also acknowledge that Luka didn't hold up his end of the bargain by prioritizing the Mavs in the summer, staying in shape, and generally just taking the little things seriously....

Further I also can understand why, after reading the explanations by way more logical and rational people than me regarding this, the Mavs weren't comfortable giving Luka the supermax.

Yet I am still too grief stricken when it comes to this. I have found myself in a perpetual loop of the grief cycle but found myself skipping over acceptance and just headed right back to denial and anger. I think its because Luka himself has said he wanted to be an MFFL. I WANT to be able to just move on, focus on the Mavs, be excited like I've been for over 30 years watching this team. But I just feel this emptiness now.

Ugh. I appreciate the logical work-throughs. I am just not there yet. Not sure if I'll ever to be honest. I remember when Nash left I could at least reason why Cuban made the choice that he did. I vehemently disagreed and when Nash became an MVP I was just more sad than anything. It wasn't until Dirk said in an interview with Nash that maybe they both needed to be separated to reach their potentials did I ever have some closure on that move. Maybe this is what's needed for Luka to truly reach his potential. For the Mavs I'm not sure how they get better from here, but I hope that they do.

[michaeltex]

Rant for the day...

FWIW though, I am getting a little tired of every hack with a twitter feed re-hashing how awful/ terrible/ inept/ incompetent the trade looks. Just regurgitating each others' talking points in an attempt to get a few more clicks. Seems like you can't go anywhere with a sports section without some "journalist" trying to spew invectives at the Mavs and their MBT.

Enough already, that's the our job and after the initial reporting, I don't need a sea of repetition about what happened. Especially almost two weeks after the fact.

Of course, with the apparent lack of compositional skills, I'm shouldn't expect anything better. It's great to come here and have rational discussions, even passionate ones. But all the hate screaming from the outside doesn't provide any more insight than I have found right here.

[Winter]

Rant for the day...

FWIW though, I am getting a little tired of every hack with a twitter feed re-hashing how awful/ terrible/ inept/ incompetent the trade looks. Just regurgitating each others' talking points in an attempt to get a few more clicks. Seems like you can't go anywhere with a sports section without some "journalist" trying to spew invectives at the Mavs and their MBT.

Enough already, that's the our job and after the initial reporting, I don't need a sea of repetition about what happened. Especially almost two weeks after the fact.

Of course, with the apparent lack of compositional skills, I'm shouldn't expect anything better. It's great to come here and have rational discussions, even passionate ones. But all the hate screaming from the outside doesn't provide any more insight than I have found right here.

I'm with you 100%

I'm not interested in bitching at Nico. I support the players we have, and I wish them success.

[Scott41theMavs]

Ugh. I appreciate the logical work-throughs. I am just not there yet. Not sure if I'll ever to be honest. I remember when Nash left I could at least reason why Cuban made the choice that he did. I vehemently disagreed and when Nash became an MVP I was just more sad than anything. It wasn't until Dirk said in an interview with Nash that maybe they both needed to be separated to reach their potentials did I ever have some closure on that move. Maybe this is what's needed for Luka to truly reach his potential. For the Mavs I'm not sure how they get better from here, but I hope that they do.

Somebody on the board ticked me off by asserting that MVP Nash was the same player he'd always been for the Mavs but that Phoenix just wisely built their system around him. Obnoxiously false. His main upgrade was getting his health/back/core fitness right.

I'm afraid of Luka doing a Nash, taking care of his health, and winning 3+ rings and 3+ MVPs with the Lakers. But I'm less afraid of that now than I was when the trade happened. It's looking to me like he just doesn't have it in his character to do that. We'll see if he proves me wrong.

[audiosway]

Somebody on the board ticked me off by asserting that MVP Nash was the same player he'd always been for the Mavs but that Phoenix just wisely built their system around him. Obnoxiously false. His main upgrade was getting his health/back/core fitness right.

I'm afraid of Luka doing a Nash, taking care of his health, and winning 3+ rings and 3+ MVPs with the Lakers. But I'm less afraid of that now than I was when the trade happened. It's looking to me like he just doesn't have it in his character to do that. We'll see if he proves me wrong.

Agreed. If I remember correctly Casey Smith was the trainer for PHX when Nash went there. That's why Dallas hired him to begin with.

Fitness and Diet has so much to do with an athlete's success. I love watching Luka play and hope he gets it straightened out. I just honestly don't think he will at this point. It's not like he turned pro at 19. He's been a pro since 14. If he hasn't done it by now...

[mvossman]

I'm with you 100%

I'm not interested in bitching at Nico. I support the players we have, and I wish them success.

Its hard for me to get to this point with half the team injured and the fear that many of these guys will be traded away in the offseason.  Its hard to root for a team that completely reloads the roster every two years.  Its why I lost interest in college basketball.

[Chicagojk]

Only watch if you like pain.

https://youtu.be/VIPH9lY7nUw?si=Ij0iOzTHPuMdsw-F

Can’t wait for Moses Brown first week video

[DallasMaverick]

Early quadruple-double watch for Luka tonight:

2 points
4 rebounds
2 assists
5 turnovers

[LukaMVP]

dude needs to shoot better to assemble the quadruple double tbh.

[SleepingHero]

Luka had a dud of a game truthfully. He still had some great moments and passes, but yeah, he was off.

I still don't think he's 100%. Question is will he ever return to 100%? I think so. He limped into the locker room after the game against Charlotte. Didn't even get a chance to tie the game with Lebron taking both 3s. He had a layup where he grimaced going up and running back, which while isn't unusual for Luka, is something to point out given the circumstances.

[LukaMVP]

luka played rather good at the offensive end tonight despite poor shooting efficiency, just two assists shy of a triple double (two assists and four turnovers shy of a quadruple double), with the best plus/minus of the game. nonetheless, at the defensive end he was a liability. just pick luka one on one in offense and a good shot opportunity will be created. I think luka makes it easy, for both his own coach and the coach of the opposing team, to make offensive plans tbh.

[F Gump]

Even if he couldn't make shots, Luka did play 33 minutes and hoisted 18 attempts. That doesn't sound like he was on a minutes limit or being held back with concerns by LA.

[audiosway]

Only watch if you like pain. 

https://youtu.be/VIPH9lY7nUw?si=Ij0iOzTHPuMdsw-F

Can’t wait for Moses Brown first week video

I hate that. It's irrational I know. But, it sucks.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

He just needs a few extra days to recover from Cabo.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1i...e_allstar/

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Even if he couldn't make shots, Luka did play 33 minutes and hoisted 18 attempts. That doesn't sound like he was on a minutes limit or being held back with concerns by LA.

I saw before the start of the game, they said he wasn't on a minute's restriction. Austin Reeves got ejected in the 3rd qtr, and that didn't help.  They interviewed LeBron after the game, and he defended Luka, saying it was just his 3rd game back playing and he doesn't know most of the plays yet, and they haven't had much practice time.  He expects Luka to improve as the season wears on continually. They've had two bad losses sandwiched between the AS break. They lost to Utah just before and now this one.  They go to Portland tonight on a back-to-back. Those are must-win games.

[michaeltex]

Rebounding and assists were OK, but Luka looked slow without much lift. Noticed on offense he was often the last man to cross mid-court, even without the ball. Little to no movement and drives looked like he was laboring to get there. Had a few WTF passes, like we expect.

Interesting that LBJ is still taking the end of game shots though. So there is no doubt whose team this is.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/s9Gb8mv0ck


this sucks to watch. This lakers team isn’t remotely close to being ready to compete with Luka. You can’t have him and Reaves out there together and expect to get any stops.

[michaeltex]

I hope this isn't a view of the future...

"When I got any currency on Luka"

[Dahlsim]

Not happy with the return, but Christie's play helps and I'm thinking AD might be unstoppable when paired with Dlive, PJ, Kyrie, Klay and Max.

Yeah, so much of how the trade is ultimately judge will actually depend on not only health of Doncic and AD but the health of the respective rosters they play on. 

Doncic if he really takes this to heart and shows up fit is no question a dominant force that can take over a game offensively and just needs to hold his own defensively to have his team contending for chips.   

Dirk was never a great defender as recall, but worked hard enough that he anchored a finals contending Mavs roster and finally came away with the franchises only ring. 

AD has a *ring (covid has to deserve an *) but to really prove that he's more than the sidekick to King James championship, his legacy and value in the deal will need a healthy Mavs roster around him.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Only watch if you like pain. 

https://youtu.be/VIPH9lY7nUw?si=Ij0iOzTHPuMdsw-F

Can’t wait for Moses Brown first week video

I'm not crying.  You're crying