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The Dallas Mavericks, in spite of recent on-court results, which include three wins in their last four games, continue to be overshadowed by the stunning trade of Luka Doncic nearly two weeks ago.
Following the trade, which sent Doncic, a five-time All-NBA first-team selection, to the Los Angeles Lakers, reports surfaced indicating members of the Mavericks front office were almost relieved to have rid themselves of Doncic. Some reports focused on purported concerns about his weight and conditioning, while others centered on Doncic's team of trainers and allies.
Much of what was thought about Doncic in the Dallas front office, though, was made public through reports. That is until Patrick Dumont, the Mavericks' owner, decided to comment on the Doncic trade and take some thinly veiled shots at the Slovenian superstar in the process.
“In my mind, the way teams win is by focus, by having the right character, by having the right culture, and having the right dedication to work as hard as possible to create a championship-winning outcome,” Dumont said, via the Dallas Morning News. “And if you’re not doing that, you’re going to lose.
“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq[uille O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win. And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”
Dumont's comments were resoundingly ripped to shreds by fans and media members, who pointed out, in particular, that O'Neal's work ethic and struggles with his own weight were much criticized during his playing career.
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Among those who took exception to Dumont's apparent criticism of Doncic's focus and dedication was Haralabos Voulgaris, who worked in the Mavericks front office as director of quantitative research and development in the first few years of Doncic's NBA career.
“The people who were critiquing him had no business. I’m sorry, but those people have not accomplished anything. They’re not accomplished individuals. Who are they to be talking about what it takes to win? That’s the part that I found really offensive,” Voulgaris said on ‘The Dumb Zone'. “What have you done in your life that allows you to — yeah OK, you’re in charge of the team and so you’re beholden to that, but also, give me a break. You inherited a pretty good roster. You inherited a generational superstar. Have a little bit more humility, I think, in knowing what it takes to win.
“[Mavericks general manager] Nico [Harrison] is in a tough position, so I can emphasize with him. But the owner… he married into money. By the way, if someone is going to talk to someone else about being fit, I at least work out, I take care of myself. This guy does not look like he’s ever denied himself a luxury of an extra meal. So for him to talk about what it means to win and then reference Shaq as the ultimate example or one of the ultimate examples of it, it’s just so tone-deaf.”
Since the trade on Feb. 2, many Mavericks fans have voiced their displeasure in the form of protests and calls for Harrison's firing. Doncic has played two games so far with the Lakers, his first games since suffering an injury on Christmas Day.
