Not even a year after reaching the NBA Finals, a fanbase is in mourning after losing one of their best players in a blockbuster trade.
A small gathering of Dallas Mavericks fans were seen outside the American Airlines Center on Sunday afternoon holding a fake funeral to protest the team’s decision to move star point guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.
One group of fans even brought an empty coffin to the affair, dressed in suits to serve as pallbearers as they signified what they believe to be the death of the franchise.
Multiple fans left behind signs, jerseys, and other memorabilia – either in a sign of remembering the good times they had with Doncic, or to signify they were giving up their fandom of the team for good.
The trade has been widely panned by fans of the Mavericks – who believe that their future lied in the hands of the 25-year-old Slovenian guard.
It’s a move that shocked many fans, journalists, team owners, team executives, and even players as the trade appeared to materialize out of nowhere.
The ‘funeral’ was held at the base of the statue of Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, the man Doncic had long been tapped to replace.
One Lakers fan arrived wearing a LeBron James jersey. It’s not entirely clear what reception he received.
Some of the signs included words like ‘This is worse than a breakup’, ‘Worst trade in NBA history Dallas [hearts] Luka’, and ‘Nico is a fraud’.
The latter sign is a specifically targeted criticism of Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who seemed to run point on the trade. Part-owner Mark Cuban, who had long had sway over basketball decisions, said he had nothing to do with the trade.
Reports indicated that Doncic wasn’t interested in forcing his way out of the Mavericks – but Harrison was motivated to make a change.
‘I believe that defense wins championships,’ Harrison told ESPN concerning his motivation to trade Doncic for Davis.
‘I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.’
On Sunday evening, Doncic released a statement addressing the trade to his social media accounts.
It read, in part, ‘I thought I’d spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship. The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of.’
After releasing that statement to Mavericks fans, Doncic then quote tweeted the official announcement from the Lakers saying he was joining their franchise.
‘Grateful for this amazing opportunity. Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion and goal – to win championships,’ his tweet said.
Dallas now has a more balanced roster in their backcourt. Instead of having to try and work out a structure to give time to Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, they can now run Irving and Thompson alongside Davis – one of the league’s top big-men.
But Los Angeles now gets the benefit of having a long-term strategy with Doncic coming over.
As LeBron James gets older, the Slovenian star will be able to seamlessly transition to becoming the face of the franchise.
Before becoming the GM of the Mavericks in 2021, Harrison was a long-time executive at Nike. There, he gained notoriety for botching a presentation trying to convince Stephen Curry to re-sign with the brand. Curry ended up signing with Under Armour.
In their first game after the trade, the Mavericks were blown apart by the Cleveland Cavaliers – losing 144-101.
