Former Dallas Mavericks guard Derek Harper believes Luka Doncic’s long-term NBA story could still end where it started, even after one of the most controversial trades in franchise history sent the superstar to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaking candidly about the deal that moved Doncic out of Dallas, Harper admitted he struggles to understand the organization’s decision and said he still expects the Slovenian star to eventually finish his career with the Mavericks.
“I love Nico [Harrison], Nico is my buddy, but I would not want my name on that trade if I ever had anything to do with the NBA,” Harper said on Run It Back, via HoopsHype. “You look back, you gave away what, 30 points, eight and nine, you gave it to somebody else for a guy that is no longer on your roster.”
Harper added: “That one is hard to get around. It is just something at the time I think they thought about doing and they were quick to react, and it just did not work out, especially here in Dallas. People love Luka here. I think he will eventually retire a Maverick.”
Harper’s comments reflect the lingering frustration around Dallas after the Mavericks moved on from a player who had already established himself as one of the league’s elite offensive engines before turning 27.
Doncic spent seven seasons in Dallas after arriving as the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Across his Mavericks tenure, he averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while earning multiple All-NBA First Team selections and annual MVP consideration.
The numbers support Harper’s argument about what Dallas gave up. Doncic averaged at least 27 points per game in each season from 2019-20 onward and reached a career-high 33.9 points in 2023-24, while also operating as one of basketball’s highest-usage playmakers.
During the 2024-25 season, Doncic split time between Dallas and Los Angeles after the trade, averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 50 games. He followed that by posting 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists for the Lakers in 2025-26, again earning All-NBA First Team recognition.
