Luka says goodbye to Dallas, thought he'd spend career with Mavs

Luka Doncic released his first statement since the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that altered the landscape of the NBA.

"Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level," the 25-year-old Slovenian wrote Sunday on social media. "I thought I'd spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship."

Doncic landed with Dallas as part of a draft-day deal in 2018 after the Atlanta Hawks selected him third overall. He won the EuroLeague MVP with Real Madrid at 18 years old before heading to the NBA.

Doncic became one of the most accomplished players in the Association over his seven-and-a-half years with the Mavs: He accumulated five All-NBA nods, made five All-Star Games, won the 2019 Rookie of the Year, captured the 2023-24 scoring title, and led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals.

"In good times and bad, from injuries to the NBA Finals, your support never changed. Thank you not only for sharing my joy in our best moments, but also for lifting me up when I needed it most," Doncic said.

In return for the All-NBA guard, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison acquired Anthony Davis from the Lakers.

"When you get an All-NBA player who's also a first-team All-Defensive player, we think that's gonna help us where we need it the most, on the defensive end," Harrison said Sunday.

Harrison also confirmed that Doncic had not indicated any desire to leave Dallas.

Doncic has two seasons left on his contract, though he can opt out after 2025-26 and become an unrestricted free agent.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who reportedly intends to remain in L.A. beyond the Feb. 6 trade deadline, bid farewell to Davis. The pair won a championship with the Lakers in 2020.

Doncic has been out since he sustained a calf injury on Christmas Day.

The Mavericks were thrashed 144-101 by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon.