So here we are—barely a few weeks after one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory—and Luka Doncic is already proving everyone wrong. His return to Dallas wasn’t just emotional; it was electric. The same arena where he once dropped jaws is now the place he silenced doubters, torching his old team with a fiery 45-point showcase in purple and gold. The Lakers walked out with the win, but the bigger story? Luka didn’t just return—he reminded the league who he really is.

Now, zooming out a little, it all circles back to Nico Harrison. The Mavericks GM clearly took a page out of the Kobe Bryant mindset, trying to measure Luka against the gold standard of discipline. That whole “Mamba Mentality” filter led him to believe Doncic’s conditioning issues and off-court habits were holding him back. In Harrison’s eyes, Luka wasn’t built for the long haul—and that vision changed everything.

But fast forward just a few games, and that call is aging worse than milk. Dallas, once in the Finals just last season, has plummeted into Play-In territory. Meanwhile, the Lakers—with half a healthy roster—still sit just above Denver at fifth in ESPN’s title odds. Anthony Davis got banged up and Kyrie Irving’s ACL gave out right after the trade. So there’s no on-court justification for Harrison’s decision—just a mess left behind.

Even Gilbert Arenas couldn’t stay quiet. On Vlad TV, the former Warriors star unloaded, “I don’t care what’s going on in your organization. Don’t lie on the man… He’s been drinking and all that. I don’t give a fuck what he does.”

And to drive it home? Gil added, “You give me a drunk Luka high averaging 24.99, I will accept that.” He even suggested the Lakers rewrite locker room rules just to keep Doncic comfortable. The massive trade and the subsequent struggles of the Mavericks have led some prominent voices in the NBA community, like Gilbert Arenas, to vehemently defend Luka Doncic and even suggest unconventional ways for the Lakers to accommodate their new superstar.

Gilbert Arenas urged changing locker room rules for Luka Doncic

So when Luka Doncic landed in L.A. to team up with LeBron, nobody was louder about it than lifelong Lakers fan Gilbert Arenas. The man was practically glowing. A three-time All-Star and now full-time hype man, Gil made it known he’d roll out the red carpet for Luka. And not just any carpet—he’s talking VIP treatment.

Now sure, some folks around the league aren’t sold just yet. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, a few insiders think Luka might slow down over the next five years. But so far, that prediction’s looking shaky at best. Luka was the main engine in Dallas’ Finals run and now, he’s torching teams in purple and gold. And as Gil sees it, “Until his production doesn’t match the tardiness,” there’s nothing to worry about.

In fact, the man doubled down with a wild offer. “If he smokes hookah, we got f—— hookah lounges for him… if he wants a hookah in his locker room, he can have one.” Yep, Gilbert said that. It might sound crazy, but it’s simple—Luka delivers, he gets the perks. If he keeps this up, he could light up a hookah during halftime, and nobody would blink.

Still, it brings up a bigger question: Should elite performance excuse everything else? Maybe not always. But right now? Luka’s game is too hot to care.