"Hurt people's feelings" - Stephen A. Smith delivers bold prediction about Luka Doncic's 'revenge game' against the Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks' decision to trade Luka Doncic will be a subject of debate for years to come. It's still early to tell, but the first results make people feel like the LA Lakers got the best end of the deal.

That's not only because of the return they got in the trade, but because of how much it could motivate Doncic to take his game to unseen heights.

That's also why Stephen A. Smith believes the Slovenian star will be highly motivated to give his former team a glimpse of what they had when he faces off against them on Tuesday night:

"Jason Kidd is going to be in the building," Smith said on 'First Take.' "(GM) Nico Harrison is going to be in the building. He's traveling with the team. Dallas and its ownership are going to be in the building. It's the first time he's going to see them since this happened," Smith said. "I think (Luka's) gonna come out there tonight and look to hurt people's feelings."

Of course, his return to Dallas might be a little more emotional. But with the trade still being fresh news and his ability to rise up in big moments, it's hard to believe Doncic won't look to make a statement on Tuesday night.

Luka Doncic is just thinking about a championship

Then again, Doncic's goal hasn't changed. As much as he might have this game marked on his calendar, he's also focused on the big picture.

When asked about his new mindset in Southern California, he made it loud and clear that he's still striving to win the ultimate prize:

“Our goal is to win the championship, that’s our only goal,” Doncic told Jovan Buha.“And I think we have the team for that. Obviously, the chemistry with me and the guys is gonna take a little time, but as you saw today, I think it’s getting better and better.”

Doncic was close to achieving that just months ago. He led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals with a renowned supporting cast, and they looked like a team that could contend for years to come.

That might not necessarily be the case with the Lakers as they are currently constructed. However, with him and LeBron James now sharing forces, they might be just another piece away from being the team to beat in the Western Conference.