Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison shocked the world when he traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis back in February. Since entering the league, Doncic has been one of the league’s premier stars. A true one-man offense, Doncic earned five All-NBA first team selections in his first six years in the league. While Davis is also a future Hall of Famer, he is six years older than Doncic and has a concerning injury history.
When Doncic was traded, Harrison and the Mavericks faced significant backlash. Harrison defended his decision by raising two concerns with the Doncic-led Mavs. First, he repeatedly claimed that “defense wins championships.” While a good defense is mandatory for NBA Finals contention, this justification is laughable. The Mavs’ defense improved dramatically following the 2024 trade deadline, enabling the incredible 2024 finals run. Dallas’s defense was at the level necessary to succeed at the highest level.
The primary issue that led to the trade, however, was Doncic’s perceived effort by Harrison. Again, these concerns seem ridiculous. You cannot become a player of Doncic’s caliber with a poor work ethic. Nonetheless, there was some reason to believe Harrison’s claim. Doncic has a history of starting the season in poor shape and has occasionally shown disappointing defensive efforts. Paired with Doncic’s jovial nature, it is understandable why Harrison was concerned.
Theo Pinson, a former Maverick and teammate of Luka, praised Doncic on his podcast “To The Baha.” Pinson said that, in addition to being “the best point guard in the league”, Doncic indeed works hard.
When asked about Doncic’s work ethic, Pinson responded with “Don’t throw my man under the bus.” Pinson then spoke about how Doncic would work out at odd hours of the night, often alone in his training. While he only saw one of Doncic’s training sessions, Pinson was blown away by the performance, saying, “I don’t think the [expletive] missed a shot.”
Pinson’s comments highlight the frustrating impulsivity of the franchise-altering trade. Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA, yet he was moved before his prime for an inferior trade package.
Pinson was not the first former Maverick to speak up against Harrison’s alleged claims, as Quentin Grimes also spoke highly of Doncic after the trade, saying he would come in and shoot late at night and lift weights on off days.
The question of why Harrison made this move will puzzle NBA fans for decades. Doncic’s former teammate disagreed with the only assertion that could possibly justify the trade: a lack of effort. If Harrison was truly concerned with Doncic’s work ethic, why didn’t he address Doncic with these concerns before trading him? Even if Doncic was not working as diligently as Harrison preferred, why wouldn’t he help the young star correct his bad habits?
Doncic wouldn’t have developed into one of the best players in the NBA if he didn’t work hard, and even if there are real concerns with Doncic’s work ethic, that further illustrates just how talented he is and why Harrison should have never traded him.
You simply cannot give up on a player of Doncic’s caliber and age, particularly for mild off-court concerns. Harrison’s stated reasoning for the trade does not justify the rash decision to trade Doncic. While Harrison and Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont likely disagree with Pinson’s assessment, the fact that Pinson will proudly vouch for Luka’s work ethic exposes the shaky reasoning for the trade.
