The Dallas Mavericks have been down in the dumps since they traded Luka Dončić, but apparently their problem with Dončić started much earlier than the deadline. According to Christian Clark, Mike Vorkunov,

Even weeks after the news dropped, the Luka Doncic trade is still absolutely stunning, even after watching the Slovenian superstar suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers a few times. Day by day, more information trickles out about what led the Mavericks to this bombshell decision.

When word broke two weekends ago that the Mavericks were trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers, one theory quickly emerged — perhaps Dallas had learned Doncic would hesitate to sign the five-year super-max extension (worth a projected $345MM) that he would’ve been eligible to receive during the 2025 offseason.

The Dallas Mavericks took the NBA by storm earlier this month with a massive trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 14-year-old (2029 first-round pick).