Tuesday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks marks the first time that new Lakers star Luka Dončić will get to compete against his former team. And prior to the game, it was clear right away that he was taking the game very personally.
The Mavericks’ decision to trade Dončić was puzzling to most considering just how great he has been early on in his career. Throughout his seven-year tenure in the NBA, Dončić has regularly been an MVP candidate with plenty of team success to boot, helping bring the Mavericks to the NBA Finals just last season.
However, rumors have swirled that the Mavericks perhaps didn’t want to sign Dončić to a max contract due to his physical shape pertaining to his weight.
Only Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and other Mavericks executives truly know what their thought process was in trading their 25-year-old superstar. But clearly, Dončić felt as if he had something to prove to Harrison and the rest of the Mavericks organization on Tuesday.
With Harrison in attendance, Dončić was seen doing pushups on the court during the Lakers team warmups, which appears to be a clear shot at the rumors about the Mavericks concerns about Dončić’s weight.
Luka doing push-ups in warmups 😤
How many points is he scoring tonight?! 🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/Gn2HnKHek7
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) February 26, 2025
As far as how Dončić actually played when it came time for the game, he was excellent as usual, finishing the first half with 12, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, heading into the second half with his Lakers clinging to a 59-51 lead.
Meanwhile, new Mavericks star Anthony Davis, who was of course dealt for Dončić, didn’t suit up for the game, as he has dealt with a left adductor strain since February 8th.
In the next few years, basketball fans will of course be actively judging both Davis and Dončić to see which team got the better of the trade. But at least for the time being, Dončić is doing everything in his power to make the Mavericks regret their decision.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.