The Dallas Mavericks didn’t just beat the Timberwolves last year—they crushed any hope Minnesota had of reaching the NBA Finals. Luka Doncic made sure of it, dropping 36 points in the blowout, the same as Kyrie Irving. But it was Doncic’s first quarter that set the tone. Minnesota’s defense never really had an answer, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, Dončić was already in celebration mode. The only thing that slowed him down?

Mavericks VP Michael Finley snatching a beer out of his hand while he was kicking back in the hallway, chatting with his dad. And now, Marcus Morris believes that moment pretty much set the tone for how the rest of Luka’s time in Dallas went. He didn’t hold back when discussing the Dallas Mavericks’ handling of the Slovenian before his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. In a candid conversation, Morris took issue with the way the organization painted Doncic’s image leading up to the move.

“But as a player, I didn’t like how that looked. Like, we just won. We celebrating. I have a beer, it’s cameras, and you kind of take that away from me. It’s like almost you’re trying to like, hint at something, right?” Morris said on the Kevin O’Connor Show.

Morris saw that moment as part of a broader effort to shape a narrative about Doncic. “So, now, fast forward you kind of painting that picture the entire time that he has a drinking problem, that he’s overweight, right?” Morris asked rhetorically.

“And I don’t feel as though that has anything to do with his play. Yes, he was injured. A lot of players get injured all the time. A lot of players take a long time to come back, but his production level is through the roof,” he stated the obvious.

Beyond that, the veteran forward questioned why Dallas would trade a five-time All-Star to a Western Conference rival they’d have to face multiple times a year. “So, how do you like, how do you sum up, ‘Okay, it’s time to trade this guy’? Like, how did that come to your mind? And then not only that, you trade him—you trade him to the LA Lakers. The team that you have to see every f—— year four times a year, in the playoffs,” Morris said.

He went on to predict that Doncic would thrive alongside LeBron James and take his game to another level. However, Morris wasn’t the only one questioning the move.

Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki also found himself caught off guard by the shocking February 2 trade. Unlike Morris, who focused on the way the team framed Dončić’s exit, Nowitzki was trying to process losing the player many saw as his successor.

“I wrote to Luka right away, but he didn’t answer me at first,” Nowitzki shared on the German podcast 41 Campus. “He was probably overwhelmed. A lot going on for him. Then he wrote to me a day later and I think he was a bit emotional.”

Nowitzki also suspected there was more at play behind the scenes.

“Luka could’ve signed a new contract. This supermax contract for over $300 million and the question apparently was in the Mavericks,” Nowitzki explained.

The hesitation, according to him, came from the front office’s uncertainty about Doncic’s long-term commitment. “They thought: ‘Is he worth it? Will he hold the contract that long? Will he keep his body in shape that long?’” Nowitzki revealed.

For someone who had carried the Mavericks’ legacy for two decades, it was tough to see him leave. At the same time, he knew Dončić was heading into a new chapter, and he wanted to be there for him. That’s why he made plans to support Luka at his first game as a Laker, making sure the young star knew that no matter where he played, he’d always have Nowitzki in his corner.

If Nowitzki focused on the personal side of Luka’s departure, Lakers coach JJ Redick was locked in on the basketball side. He knew exactly what Dončić could bring to a team that had been struggling offensively.

Luka Doncic is the offensive piece JJ Redick wanted

Before Luka Doncic arrived, JJ Redick was vocal about the Lakers’ biggest offensive flaw: they lacked a player who could consistently force double-teams. “We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to necessarily always draw two to the ball,” Redick admitted after a Jan. 19 loss to the Clippers.

Enter Doncic.

His presence instantly reshaped the Lakers’ attack. Opponents now send two, sometimes three defenders his way, opening the floor for his teammates. “People start learning that at some point in the game, they’re going to double-team me,” Doncic said after a recent win. “It saves my energy. And we just get to play four-on-three.”

That advantage has helped the Lakers revamp their three-point game. Since Doncic’s debut on Feb. 10, they’ve jumped from 26th in the league in three-point attempts to second. Austin Reaves, benefiting from the extra space, has become a key weapon. “He makes the right play, and it just comes down to passing to the open person,” Reaves explained.

A big part of this offensive shift? Dončić’s growing chemistry with Jaxson Hayes. The lob threat has quietly been a game-changer, leading the NBA in field goal percentage since Jan. 30. “You can see the difference,” Doncic said.

The Lakers’ offense isn’t perfect yet, but with James and Rui Hachimura returning soon, they believe they’re on the verge of something special.