Luka Doncic 'Didn't Like' Mavs Tanking Decision, But Was Consulted
DALLAS — After the Dallas Mavericks failed to qualify for the play-in tournament this season, the pressure has naturally been elevated for the team to make the necessary moves for a bounce back next season. Finishing with a 38-44 record was a deep fall coming off a Western Conference Finals run, and everyone involved acknowledges that major changes are needed.
The Mavs essentially pulled the plug on this season with two games left after facing a very bleak outlook to qualify for the play-in. Ultimately, the team would have needed the Oklahoma City Thunder to lose their final two games, but that didn't happen. Even had the Mavs won out, they still would have been on the outside looking in ... just with worse draft lottery positioning.
Regardless, the Mavs weren't officially eliminated from play-in contention before the team decided to sit their top players, including their superstars, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
During his exit interview, Doncic was asked for his thoughts about the Mavs' decision to sit key players for the final two games of the season. He made clear that he "didn't like that decision," but he also acknowledged that he was involved in the decision-making process.
With Doncic declaring that the wasn't happy with a major decision from the organization, naturally, the focus shifts on if the situation is trending toward him becoming the next big name to ask to be traded.
There was a recent report from ESPN's Tim MacMahon describing a sense of “fear” within the organization about a potential trade request in the summer of 2024 building if things do not improve. Doncic reportedly expressed "extreme frustration" both publicly and privately. It would take "significant progress" to prevent that outcome, per the report.
"I saw the report," Doncic said. "I don't know who, somebody said that I was going to request a trade. It was funny because I didn't know that was true. I didn't say it."
When asked about Doncic's current state of the franchise, he expressed that he's "happy here" and that there is "nothing to worry [about]." Regardless of comments made in a press conference, though, any high profile player isn't going to content with a consistent pattern of shortcomings from a franchise. It's up to the front office to prevent the situation from happening.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here.
Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Grant Afseth on Twitter.
