Luka Doncic, following his ejection from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder, spoke about the emotional return he’s expecting in Dallas when the Lakers face the Mavericks.
Luka Dončić took a deep breath before answering the first question he got about his impending return to Dallas.
It’s going to be a lot when the Los Angeles Lakers face the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night in Dončić’s first game back in Texas since the Mavericks stunned the NBA by trading him to the Lakers more than two months ago. He already knows this, even if he isn’t quite sure how he’ll react upon taking the court at American Airlines Center to face the team he never wanted to leave.
“Of course it’s going to be a lot of emotion for me. I really don’t know what to expect,” Dončić told reporters in the aftermath of the Lakers’ 126-99 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. “I don’t know what I’m going to feel, honestly. I’m looking forward to being back in Dallas, obviously, with the fans, seeing my teammates — ex-teammates. It’s going to be very emotional for me, for sure.”
What Luka Doncic’s Dallas return means for Lakers, Mavericks
Dončić was dealt to the Lakers in February in exchange for forward Anthony Davis, guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The Lakers also received forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in the trade, which included 2023 Lakers first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino being sent to the Utah Jazz. The move sent shockwaves through the entire sports world, with NBA executives taken aback that one of the league’s brightest stars was even available.
The backlash in Dallas was immediate and intense, with protests outside the first Mavericks’ home game following the trade. Davis appeared in one game before succumbing to an adductor injury. He returned to the Mavericks’ lineup last month and is currently expected to play on Wednesday night against his former team.
Dončić has appeared in 26 games with the Lakers since the trade, averaging 27.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game while playing alongside LeBron James for the first time. He was ejected in the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder after picking up a second technical foul for shouting profanity at a referee. Dončić clarified afterwards he was actually exchanging trash talk with a courtside fan and, “it had nothing to do with the ref, so I didn’t really understand.”
His absence in Oklahoma City, though, was quickly overshadowed by questions about his pending return to Dallas. Dončić already faced the Mavericks once since the trade — a 107-99 Lakers’ win in Los Angeles on Feb. 25. The 26-year-old Slovenian spent seven seasons in Dallas after being drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He appears to still be coming to terms with how his time there ended.
“Honestly, I don’t know about closure. It’s obviously a lot,” Dončić said in reference to Wednesday’s game. “But, you know, like I said, I’m excited to be back here. The fans can appreciate me being back here, so I mean, honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know how I’m going to feel, but I’m just excited to be back.”
The game will carry a significant amount of weight in the jam-packed Western Conference playoff race. The Lakers would be the No. 3 seed in the West if the NBA postseason started Wednesday, but the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies all sit just one game back during this final week of the regular season.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, are currently the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference postseason bracket and they’ve clinched a spot in the play-in tournament. They are just one game behind the No. 9 seed Sacramento Kings for the chance to host a play-in tournament game next week.
For Dončić, though, the stakes go beyond the standings on Wednesday. He believes his new team is ready for what he’s about to go through.
“Since the first day or second day, we kind of bonded. Everybody is just great people,” Dončić said. “We … come together as a team and I think you can see that a lot of times on the court. Just a great group of guys and it’s my team and obviously we’re going for the win (Wednesday), but I think they understand it’s going to be a lot of emotions for me.”
How to watch Lakers vs. Mavericks: TV, live streaming for Luka Doncic’s first game back in Dallas
- Date: Wednesday, April 9
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas)
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
