"Dodged a bullet" - Shannon Sharpe explains why Luka Doncic's photos smoking hookah and drinking beer could be crucial for the Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks pulled the plug on Luka Doncic before things got out of hand. Per Sam Amick of The Athletic, his off-court habits, work ethic, and struggles with his weight made the Mavs feel uncomfortable with making a long-term commitment to him.

Amick wrote that those within the Mavs organization called Doncic "lazy" and talked about his perennial struggles with conditioning.

More than that, his "social habits," such as "a taste for beer and hookah" were also a major talking point. Since that had been a concern dating back to his dates in Europe, they didn't think he was going to change his ways at this point.

With that in mind, Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe pointed out that Doncic's bad habits were positive for the Mavs, as no one can accuse them of defamation.

"Because we've seen him smoking hookah and drinking a beer, they kind of dodged a bullet because they got him on camera smoking hookah and drinking beer, so it's hard to sue for defamation," Sharpe said (10:57).

Of course, whether those concerns should've been big enough to move on from the 25-year-old superstar is anybody's guess, but these reports had been going on for years.

Shannon Sharpe talks about the financial implications of the Luka Doncic trade

The decision to trade Luka Doncic was also reportedly based on finances. He was eligible to sign a super-max contract extension this season, and, given the team's concerns about his health and work ethic, they didn't feel comfortable doing so.

Of course, Doncic is one of the faces of the league and the best young players on Earth, which is why Sharpe still questioned that reasoning.

"Is going to be interesting," Sharpe said. "I think, moving forward, we have to pay attention to this. Because if Luka don't get the supermax, who the hell gon' get it?" (12:11).

With the trade, Doncic is no longer eligible for that kind of extension, but he will still most likely get a big payday.

As to the players most likely to get the supermax, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is most definitely the strongest candidate and Jaren Jackson Jr. could also be eligible to sign one if he wins Defensive Player of the Year this season.