Report: Luka Doncic has ‘alternated between shock, sadness and anger’ since stunning trade

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic got to play against his former team in the Dallas Mavericks for the first time on Tuesday night, and he made his presence felt on both sides of the ball. He totaled a triple-double of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists to go along with three steals and a pair of blocked shots.

Doncic was traded from the Mavericks to the storied Lakers franchise just weeks ago. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, he’s spent the last few weeks going through a number of emotions.

“The most game-changing trade in NBA history was a public and private repudiation of one of the best players in the world — of his work habits, of the culture he reportedly sets, of his future as a top player in basketball,” Shelburne wrote. “Those close to him say he has alternated between shock, sadness and anger in the weeks since the trade. Every day that he goes home to the Los Angeles hotel he’s living in with his fiancée and young daughter is a reminder of how much his life has been upended.”

Doncic was traded to the Lakers earlier this month as part of a deal that sent big man Anthony Davis, guard Max Christie and a future first-round pick to Dallas.

Before joining forces with forward LeBron James, Doncic spent the first six-plus seasons of his NBA career in Dallas. In his final full season with the Mavericks, he averaged a league-high 33.9 points per game during the regular season and led Dallas to an appearance in the NBA Finals.

The Slovenian looked out of sorts to begin his tenure with the Lakers, and it seemed as if maybe he was still shell-shocked from getting dealt. He didn’t score more than 16 points in any one of his opening three games with the team, and Los Angeles suffered losses to inferior Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets teams in that span.

But as of late, Doncic has played more like the superstar talent he is. A few days before he went off for a triple-double against his former team, he scored 32 points against the Denver Nuggets and snapped their winning streak at nine games.

The Lakers will be seeking a fourth consecutive win when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night. The Timberwolves are just a season removed from appearing in the Western Conference Finals but have underperformed so far this campaign. As of Wednesday, the team sits as just the No. 7 seed in the West with a record of 32-27.