Luka Dončić Reveals He Smashed His Phone and Cried After Shock Lakers Trade, Says He Never Wanted to Leave Mavericks, Blasts Nico Harrison’s Comments, and Vows to Return to Dallas to Finish His Career
In a brutally honest and emotional interview, NBA superstar Luka Dončić opened up for the first time about the moment he learned he had been traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers—a move that shocked the basketball world and sent waves through the NBA landscape.
“I smashed my phone when I saw the message,” Dončić confessed. “I thought it was a joke. I didn’t believe it at first. And then I cried. I never wanted to leave Dallas. That city is home to me.”
Dončić, who had become the face of the Mavericks franchise since being drafted in 2018, said the trade hit him like a truck. Known for his fierce loyalty to the Mavs and its fanbase, Luka said the decision came without warning and left him heartbroken.
“I gave everything to Dallas. I loved playing there. The fans, the staff, the people—everything. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. That was never the plan,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
While Dončić is now donning the purple and gold of the Lakers, his heart clearly still beats for the Mavericks. In the same interview, Luka made a bold promise: he intends to return to Dallas one day and finish his career where it started.
“I’ll be back,” he said firmly. “Someday, I’ll wear that Mavericks jersey again and I’ll retire in Dallas. That’s a promise to the fans. That’s where my story should end.”
Dončić also took aim at Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who controversially said in a press conference that the Mavs team that reached the NBA Finals wasn’t truly a “championship-caliber” squad and needed reshaping.
“He got it wrong,” Luka fired back. “We made the Finals. We beat some of the best teams in the league to get there. We were warriors. To say we weren’t championship contenders after what we did? That’s disrespectful—to me, to Kyrie, to the team, to the whole journey. We weren’t perfect, but we fought.”
Despite adjusting to life with the Lakers, where he’s now forming a formidable duo with Anthony Davis, Dončić admitted that emotionally, it’s still a difficult transition.
“I’m trying to stay professional. The Lakers are an amazing organization, and I’ll give everything I’ve got. But a part of me is still in Dallas. I can’t lie.”
The Mavericks, meanwhile, have remained tight-lipped about the trade that sent shockwaves through the league, but Luka’s comments now bring clarity to what had long been an off-season mystery.
As the NBA season continues, one thing is clear—while Luka Dončić may be shining in Hollywood now, the story between him and Dallas is far from over. In fact, according to him, it’s only a pause—not a period.
“I’m a Maverick for life,” Luka said. “This is just an intermission.”
And with that, Luka Dončić has turned what was once just a shocking trade into the beginning of what could be one of the most dramatic homecomings the NBA has ever seen.
