"He has a personal vendetta against Nico Harrison" - Ex-Mavericks forward predicts Luka Doncic's mindset entering Lakers-Mavs clash

Roughly three weeks removed from the Luka Doncic trade, the LA Lakers are set to square off against the Dallas Mavericks. Ahead of this clash on national TV, one former player touched on the star guard's mindset as he prepares to face his old team.

Doncic, like the rest of the basketball world, was thrown for a loop after news of the trade. As a five-time All-Star who just led the franchise to the NBA Finals, he expected to be a pillar for the Mavericks for the next decade. Instead, he finds himself in LA as part of one of the most shocking trades in league history.

While on "Run It Back" on Tuesday, Chandler Parsons gave his thoughts on Luka Doncic as the Lakers gear up to take on the Mavericks. He feels the superstar guard is going to make a statement after general manager Nico Harrison decided to trade him.

"I think he has a 40-piece," Parsons said. "I think he has such personal vendetta against Nico Harrison. I think he has a personal vendetta against this whole franchise."

Parsons, who played for the Mavericks from 2014 to 2016, will be in attendance for this matchup. He stated he'll be in the crowd sitting with longtime owner Mark Cuban.

Doncic is slated to take the court against the Mavericks at 10:00 pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, with the game being broadcast nationally on TNT.

---

Luka Doncic got added motivation from narrative about poor conditioning

Shortly after Luka Doncic was traded to the LA Lakers, there were numerous reports of why the Dallas Mavericks went through with the decision. Seeing certain narratives come out has surely lit a fire under the five-time All-Star.

Aside from him being in line for a supermax contract this offseason, one reported reason why the Mavs dealt Doncic was his conditioning. It was alleged that he couldn't keep his weight under control and didn't maintain habits to keep his body in good shape throughout the season.

Ahead of the Lakers' clash with the Mavericks, NBA insider Dave McMenamin detailed what the past few weeks have been like for Luka Doncic. The notion of him not being in shape was brought up, as it was cited that the discourse 'awoke a beast' in LA's newest star.

"Though Dončić did not publicly comment on the constant flow of leaks from the Mavericks organization disparaging his weight and conditioning, one source close to Dončić told ESPN the comments have served as a motivator. 'A beast was awakened inside him,' the source said."

Fueled by the trade and criticism of his habits, Doncic will surely be engaged in the Lakers' matchup with Dallas. As Parsons mentioned, he'll likely attempt to rip off a big performance to show his old team what they gave up on.