Luka Dončić Denies Kristaps Porizingis Feud After Chandler Parsons's Claim

Karl Rasmussen | Jun 4, 2024

Former Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis celebrates with Luka Doncic during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The reunion between Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics won't be the only meeting of a player with their former team during the 2024 NBA Finals. Kristaps Porzingis will also be up against his old squad, having played for the Dallas Mavericks back from 2019 to '21.

On Monday, Fanduel analyst and former Mavericks player Chandler Parsons suggested there was some bad blood between Porzingis and Luka Dončić stemming from their time as a tandem in Dallas.

Dončić addressed the claims from Parsons on Tuesday, indicating he and Porzingis have a good relationship, despite their on-court efforts not yielding much success, and added that he's scarcely ever even spoken to Parsons.

"I've talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don't know how he would know... But me and KP have a good relationship," said Dončić, via Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.

Parsons played for Dallas between 2014–16 but his time with the Mavericks did not overlap with Dončić or Porzingis, and he retired in 2022.

Chandler Parsons previously said that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis don’t have a good relationship.

Doncic shut down that narrative and said he’s only talked to Paraons “maybe twice in my life.”#Mavericks #OneforDallas pic.twitter.com/uA6UcnKbuu

— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 4, 2024

Porzingis joined the Mavs and was paired alongside Dončić with the goal of making an elite offensive tandem. Expectations were not quite met, however, and the plug was pulled on the experiment after a little more than two seasons.

They've both since gone on to find success, with Porzingis playing a vital role for the Celtics as they earned the league's best record in the regular season and Dončić emerging as arguably the sport's best player and leading his Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.

Porzingis was also asked about the situation with Dončić in Dallas, though he didn't want to spend too much time on the topic.

"It didn't work out. I think it was–yeah. I don't know, I'm not even thinking about that right now. I'm focused on the job ahead. We can talk about that later," said Porzingis, via Noa Dalzell of SB Nation.

Kristaps Porzingis didn't want to get into the weeds of his relationship with Luka / his Mavericks tenure today:

"It didn't work out. I think it was - yeah. I don't know, I'm not even thinking about that right now. I'm focused on the job ahead. We can talk about that later." pic.twitter.com/GU2S0vrVAs

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) June 4, 2024

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off on Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. EST from the TD Garden in Boston.