Luka Doncic left shaking and crying during emotional Mavs tribute video

For the first time since his shocking trade to the LA Lakers, Luka Doncic was back inside American Airlines Center on Wednesday to take on the Dallas Mavericks. The team played a video tribute before the game, prompting the Slovenian superstar to get emotional.

In the video uploaded on X/Twitter, the Mavs played Doncic's best moments with the franchise before his introduction. He was holding back tears initially before breaking down, visibly crying while watching the tribute. It received a raucous reaction from the AAC crowd, who still love their former superstar.

Doncic spent six and a half seasons in Dallas after being acquired from a draft-day trade with the Atlanta Hawks in 2018. He was named to five All-NBA First Teams and even led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, falling to the Boston Celtics in five games.

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Luka Doncic trade's impact on the Mavericks franchise

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Anthony Davis and Max Christie in the Luka Doncic trade. Davis was fantastic in his debut for the team, but suffered an adductor injury that caused him to miss more than a month. Christie has been solid as a starter and off the bench, but he could never replace what Doncic brings to the table.

AD's injury forced the team to use Kyrie Irving more, resulting in him suffering a serious knee injury. He's out for the rest of the season and likely all of next season, the final year of his contract. They also endured a ton of injuries after the trade, prompting people to think that the franchise was cursed.

Some are even comparing it to the Boston Red Sox trading Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. For those who don't follow baseball, the Red Sox suffered from the "Curse of the Bambino," leaving them without a championship for 86 years.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd wasn't fazed by the comparisons, telling reporters before Wednesday's game:

"This is a business," Kidd said. "It happens, right? Trades happen. This won't be the last trade. Someone compared it to Babe Ruth, which is kinda cool."

While the Mavericks have a chance to recover on the court, their business off of it also took a hit. ESPN's Tim MacMahon cited sources within the team saying that the franchise could lose up to nine figures in the next few years due to a variety of factors related to the Luka Doncic trade.

"It's a decision, team sources told ESPN, that probably will cost the franchise nine figures over the next several years," MacMahon wrote. "The Mavs are projected to lose dozens of millions in revenue this season due to dwindling crowds, plummeting merchandise sales and sponsors severing ties with the franchise in the wake of the trade. So many fans canceled season tickets in the days after the trade that the Mavs attempted to generate some goodwill by offering limited refunds."

Some fans continue to support the Mavericks despite the Luka Doncic debacle, and it will take some time before the organization earns the fanbase's trust back.