Luka Dončić says comments on conditioning are motivation for ‘long run’ in Los Angeles

Not only did the Mavericks trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers, but their negative comments are fueling him for a long tenure in purple and gold.

The Mavericks traded their young franchise player, Luka Dončić, to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, leaving the NBA world shocked and searching for answers.

The response from Dallas was, in a word, alarming.

Dallas general manager Nico Harrison proclaimed, “Defense wins championships,” during his press conference after the trade. Then, reports started coming out about Luka’s condition and fitness being a concern.

With Luka having spent his entire career as a Maverick, it seemed like a condemnation of his ability as a basketball player. They traded him in the dead of night on a Saturday without prior contact or regard for his desires or best interest.

During his introductory press conference with the Lakers on Tuesday, Dončić addressed these criticisms of him by his former employer for the first time.

“It’s a motive,” Luka said. “I know it’s not true. But it’s a motive. Like I said, I came here to one of the clubs in the history of sports. So, it’s a big motive for a long, long run here.”

A motivated Luka ready to be a Laker for years on end is music to the franchise’s ears. Doncic is already a future Hall-of-Famer yet to enter his prime, and if this perceived disrespect fuels him to be the best version of himself, then the trade is going to age even worse for the Mavs.

Currently, Luka is under contract through the 2026-27 season. However, the last year is a player option. This means he could opt out and leave after next year and leave the Lkaers high and dry.

So, while things can certainly change from now until that decision has to be made, it’s reassuring to hear his current mindset is to embrace being a Laker and be the franchise star for years to come.

Regarding how this trade even came to be, Dončić was just as shocked as the rest of us.

“Everybody was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,” Dončić said. “I was almost asleep when I got a call. I had to check if it was April 1. I didn’t really believe it at first. It was a shock. It was hard moments for me. It was home. It was really hard moments for me, especially the first day.

“But like I said, I get to play for the greatest club in the world and I’m excited for this new journey.”

It’s not a great sign from the Dallas perspective that no one can believe this deal was agreed to by both sides. And it’s even more shocking to hear that Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka got them to take less than they were asking for in the trade.

While there is excitement regarding the arrival of Luka, it does come with a tinge of sadness since it cost the Lakers Anthony Davis and Max Christie.

The same can be said for Luka as he didn’t expect this to happen and had to leave the only city he’s called home during his NBA career.

“Honestly, it was hard at first,” Luka said. “That first day was really hard. I felt like these last 48 hours have been one month…Emotionally, it was really hard but every day, like today, was much better. I’m just very happy to be here for this opportunity. It’s the Lakers. It’s one of the best clubs in history so I’m excited to be here.”

We easily forget that these players aren’t just assets and names to add to the trade machine. They are people with the same ebbs, flows and emotions as the rest of us. The human element factors in and shouldn’t be ignored, even if it’s not at the top of people's minds in sports.

Despite some challenging days and being shell-shocked by his world changing in just a matter of hours, Luka appears ready for this new chapter of his career.

“I’m just excited to be here, to start this new journey,” Luka said. “Obviously, at some point, I knew this was going to happen. I would say I’ll [take] the high road. I had amazing moments in Dallas with all my teammates, coaches and, most importantly, the fans. They always supported me and it was an amazing journey.”

Luka’s run in Dallas is over, but the marathon continues in Los Angeles.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.