There will be a time in the future where analysts and potentially even fans start to claim that Harrison’s move wasn’t all that terrible after all if Luka fails to win a championship. If the Mavericks earn an NBA Finals victory soon, there may be a time where people even say that Dallas won the trade.
It’s crazy to think about, but it is possible.
Doncic’s defense was far from reliable on Sunday. As a result, the conversation has turned to blasting his defensive performance as opposed to the fact that Luka scored 38 points in an extremely competitive playoff game. JJ Redick’s specific coaching decisions are being mentioned, but Doncic’s game has become overly-analyzed.
Unless Doncic wins an NBA Finals at some point in his career, he will always be mentioned in the same breath as Harrison’s “defense wins championships” comments. Harrison clearly did not believe in Luka and made the decision to move on from one of the NBA’s best players. That move alone placed pressure on the guard.
Harrison told reporters that he has not spoken poorly of Doncic since the trade. However, when given an opportunity to call Doncic a championship-caliber player during his end-of-season press conference, Harrison called the question “unfair” and failed to provide a direct answer.
If you combine that with Harrison indirectly calling out Doncic’s defense with his strong “defense wins championships” stance, it is becoming clear that the pressure is now on Doncic to prove him wrong. And if he is unable to take care of business in the playoffs, Doncic’s reputation in the NBA could be destroyed forever.
Is it fair? No, but that’s the result of a general manager trading a superstar in the middle of their prime without true cause aside from doubt in the player’s ability to lead a team to a championship win.
