Luka Doncic’s Dallas return comes amidst unsettling news for Mavericks
The fallout from the Dallas Mavericks’ shocking Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers will affect them more than they imagined.
From the moment the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded Luka Doncic away to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, the consequences have been clear. The fans are not happy, with many boycotting the team and with “fire Nico” chants becoming a normal tune to hear while out and about in the city.
“Fire Nico” mural appears in Dallas hours ahead of Luka Doncic’s return
Luka Doncic walks out to a slew of cheers as he greets former Mavericks teammates and staffers pic.twitter.com/EPHfQmjskL
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 9, 2025
The financial fallout of the Luka trade
While general manager Nico Harrison and the few other Mavericks executives who agreed to go through with this trade have assured fans that they’ll earn their trust back, they’re off to a pretty bad start. The trade was for Anthony Davis, who was injured in his debut and didn’t return until the season was almost over. The Mavs are 10th in the West and a loss to Doncic’s new team tonight will lock them into that position. Meanwhile, Doncic and the Lakers are at No. 3. Harrison cited concerns about Doncic’s physical form. Meanwhile, with the Lakers, Doncic has averaged 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game.
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But the fallout is shaping up to be much worse than all of that. As Doncic prepares to meet his former team in Dallas for the first time since the trade, an ESPN report has surfaced that reveals just how bad the financial consequences of the trade decision really are.
On Wednesday morning, Tim MacMahon reported that the franchise is facing a loss of around nine figures over the coming years due to reduced attendance, declining merchandise sales, and lost sponsorships.
“The Mavs are projected to lose dozens of millions in revenue this season due to dwindling crowds, plummeting merchandise sales and sponsors severing ties with the franchise in the wake of the trade,” MacMahon wrote.
The financial fallout is expected to continue, adding to the drama surrounding the trade. Tonight, emotions will be high as Doncic makes his return to face Harrison and his former team in Dallas. Harrison has caused a clear divide for the fans between the franchise and Luka himself, and it’s pretty clear whose side the fans are on.
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