The Dallas Mavericks, especially general manager Nico Harrison, have been under fire since trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Fans and media alike were suspicious of the NBA being rigged due to the lack of value they received in return for a generational superstar.
The Lakers sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick for Doncic and Maxi Kleber. While Davis is a 10-time All-Star, he’s also an injury-prone 32-year-old. Doncic, on the other hand, is 26 and led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season.
Now, fans are even more suspicious after Dallas won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery on Monday despite having just a 1.8 percent chance at the No. 1 overall pick. Mavericks forward P.J. Washington posted his reaction to social media immediately after the result.
Washington posted eye emojis, as Dallas is now all but guaranteed to land Duke superstar Cooper Flagg just months after trading Doncic.
The Mavericks will likely roll into the season with a trio of Davis, Flagg, and Kyrie Irving.
“We all know the lottery is rigged but this is on a different level,” one fan said. “Did the NBA promise them the 1st pick to get Luka to LA??”
“The NBA is never beating the rigged allegations,” another one said.
“THE MOST RIGGED NBA DRAFT LOTTERY IN HISTORY!!!!!” another one said.
“Ratings were down, so the NBA gave Luka to the Lakers, and then gave the #1 pick in the NBA Draft to Dallas as compensation,” another said. “Disgusting corruption. And you can’t even argue it. The odds are too low of all of this lining up the way it has. Completely rigged.”
