Luka Doncic's return to Dallas went about as well as the Los Angeles Lakers star could have hoped—except for a totally tear-jerking tribute video.
Doncic finished with 45 points in the Lakers' 112–97 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday night, putting up a dominant showing in front of the two men who orchestrated his stunning trade months ago: Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and Mavericks GM Nico Harrison.
As expected, Doncic was received by the home crowd at American Airlines Center with cheers as well as plenty of "Fire Nico" chants. Mavs fans clearly weren't still over the repercussions of the blockbuster deal—and for good reason.
ESPN announcers Doris Burke and Mike Breen were on the call Wednesday night and they both heavily sympathized with Dallas' fanbase given the circumstances.
"It's a fanbase that feels cheated," Burke said. "[Luka Doncic] expected and I think he feels like was stabbed in the back because of the way it was done...You can feel it in this arena, the love they've got for this guy."
"It's a fanbase that feels cheated. He expected and I think he feels like was stabbed in the back because of the way it was done...You can feel it in this arena, the love they've got for this guy."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 10, 2025
Doris Burke on Luka Dončić as Mavericks fans chant "FIRE NICO." pic.twitter.com/ZAzfpLigsE
At one point, the cameras panned to Harrison, who was curiously watching the game from the players' tunnel.
"He's taken a huge risk," Breen said of the Mavs general manager. "And we don't know how this long-term is gonna work out. But initially, at least for this year... It's been a disaster for the Mavericks."
When the entire crowd at your home arena is cheering for a player on the other team who you traded away? "Disaster" might be an understatement.
Since the Doncic trade, the Mavericks have suffered a slew of injuries to their roster, and their current 2024-25 season continues to trend downward as Dallas sits on the lower cusp of the play-in tournament in the West. As Breen said, the long-term effects of the Doncic trade have yet to be seen, with Anthony Davis potentially forming a great duo with Kyrie Irving once Irving returns from his ACL tear.
But right now, it's looking pretty grim for Harrison and the Mavs.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN Announcers Drop Brutally Honest Line on Nico Harrison, Mavs in Luka Doncic Return.
