“Everybody just runs with it” - Luka Doncic’s former $11,128,042 running mate calls cap on “narrative” around Lakers superstar

The reasons that the Dallas Mavericks front office gave for trading Luka Doncic are certainly concerning if they were true. The Mavericks reportedly had concerns regarding Doncic's work ethic. They cited things like his conditioning, weight and his habits off the court as reasons for trading him.

However, these claims have been disputed by some people close to the Slovenian superstar. One of the latest people to debunk the Mavs' claims on Doncic's commitment is Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes.

Grimes and Doncic were teammates on the Mavs, but his four-year, $11,128,042 contract was traded to the Sixers for Caleb Martin.

During his time with the Mavs, Grimes saw how hard Doncic worked and he shared that with The Athletic. Grimes' comments about his former teammate were shared in an article by Jared Weiss published on Friday.

"It’s just a narrative around him. Once a narrative gets thrown out there, everybody just runs with it," Grimes was quoted as saying. "Whatever they’re saying, if he’s 270 (pounds) and he gets to the finals, let him be 270 then. It’s crazy."

The article also said that Grimes often saw Doncic working out in the gym. This was the case whether Grimes came in for late-night shooting practice or when he came in to lift weights during practice days.

The 2024-25 season was promising for the Dallas Mavericks when it started. They had just come off a trip to the NBA Finals and there were some expectations of another deep Playoff run.

Even after Luka Doncic was traded, they were still primed for a Playoff run under the leadership of Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. However, that optimism has all but faded.

Davis' debut game for the Mavs ended prematurely. Against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8, the former Lakers big man registered 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in just three quarters.

The excitement for his monster performance turned to horror, though, when he crumpled to the ground late in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings on Monday and is out for the remainder of the season.

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Ex-Mavericks assistant coach also debunks claims on Luka Doncic's work ethic

Quentin Grimes isn't the only person to offer a counter-argument regarding the claims on Luka Doncic's commitment to working hard. Jamahl Mosley, coach of the Orlando Magic, also spoke up against these claims.

Mosley was asked by a member of the press about Doncic's work ethic and he shared some stories from his time in Dallas.

"My recollection of being with him was I constantly remember working and him being able to work on a consistent basis," Mosley said. "Because he loves the game of basketball, and when you love the game of basketball, you work at it."

Jamahl Mosley is now four years removed from being an assistant coach in Dallas. He's been the man at the helm for the Orlando Magic since 2021-22, but he did get to work with Luka Doncic for a significant period.

Mosley had been an assistant with the Mavs from 2015-16 to 2020-21. That means he was there when Doncic was drafted in 2018 and they worked together for three seasons.