Mavericks GM Nico Harrison breaks silence on trading Luka Doncic to Lakers: "He probably doesn’t want to talk to me"

Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison broke his silence on the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers. The NBA world was left stunned on Saturday evening when insider Shams Charania reported that the Mavericks had traded Doncic, acquiring Anthony Davis in a high-profile three-team deal.

On Sunday morning, Harrison released a statement expressing his gratitude to Doncic for his contributions to the franchise. He also extended appreciation to Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, who were included in the trade alongside the Slovenian superstar.

"We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us," Harrison said, as tweeted by Dallas reported Noah Weber. "He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

Additionally, the Mavericks GM disclosed that he did not personally inform Luka Doncic about the trade. Instead, he reached out to Doncic's agent Bill Duffy. However, Harrison confirmed that he did send a text and leave a phone message for the Slovenian superstar.

"My guess is he probably doesn’t want to talk to me," Harrison told The Dallas Morning News.

Why did the Dallas Mavericks trade Luka Doncic?

Nico Harrison openly addressed the Dallas Mavericks' shocking decision to trade Luka Doncic. The Mavericks GM emphasized that Doncic's contract situation was the primary factor that led the front office to move forward with the blockbuster deal.

"We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison told the Dallas Morning News.

"And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available."

Regarding the acquisition of Anthony Davis, Nico Harrison expressed his excitement about adding a defensive anchor to the team. The Mavericks GM emphasized the importance of defense in winning championships, stating that the players acquired in the trade align perfectly with the vision he and coach Jason Kidd have been working to build in Dallas.

Harrison also disclosed that discussions about the blockbuster trade with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka began a month ago. What initially started as a casual conversation between the two executives gradually gained traction, ultimately materializing after three weeks of internal deliberations.