Game 80: Los Angeles Lakers (48-31) vs. Dallas Mavericks (38-41)

[LifeAquatic]

This probably won't be popular, but the Luka trade has ruined my 30 plus years of being a Mavs fan. I honestly can't call myself a fan now. I haven't gotten over it and I don't think I will unfortunately. I actually hurt for Luka. Last night broke me watching him cry watching his tribute. The guy wanted to be here for his entire career and honestly I'd rather have 10-15 years of Luka even if the result was zero championships, which I don't believe would be the case. That would still be better than this current and future team. Some might say I'm not a real fan, but I've been around since the three Js days and I supported them through the bad and good times, but this was self induced and completely different. I don't have to support a team that doesn't value it's fan base. I do hope they turn it around at some point, but I'm strictly a Luka fan now even though I hate the Lakers. I want to root for that guy now no matter what. Last night didn't give me closure. It just made me hate Nico and the new owners even more and it's pretty obvious that the majority of fans feel the same way.

I don't post much, but have been hanging around in various guises since the old site with Fish, and I feel the same as you. I've been following the Mavs since I went to Reunion Arena in the 80s. But this just doesn't feel like my team anymore. Tried to watch them a few times since the trade and it just feels hollow. I make no promises about what I will or won't do as far as watching in the future, but in the near-term I'm not interested in them at all.

It feels like a hostile takeover of the franchise by people so clueless and disconnected from what Dallas basketball was about that any time they reference "greatness" or "hard work" they talk about the Lakers. Never mention Dirk or Ro or anyone else at all. And they don't seem to realize how blind that looks. And if this franchise is distancing from Dirk too and not valuing his contributions to this city anymore, then what really is the point of them?

Adam Morris of Lone Star Ball wrote an article that I think helps understand the feeling (aside from the obvious impact of the trade itself).

"Its because of a confluence of factors, starting with the fact that the folks who own and are running the team have no connection with the Metroplex. They are outsiders, carpetbaggers...disconnected from the community and the fanbase, with their priority being to use the team as a tool towards their overall goal of making more billions with what they actually care about — their “real” businesses."

Here is the article:
OT: Mavs ownership may never recover from the Doncic trade