When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, pulling off one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, Milwuakee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers didn't believe it. Ahead of facing Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks, he remembered his initial reaction to the move. Rivers defended Myles Turner after fans booed him for leaving the Indiana Pacers via free agency. He also reflected on what it's like to be traded.
Rivers, a former NBA point guard-turned head coach, reflected on what it must have felt for Luka Doncic and Davis, who were both seemingly blindsided by the surprising move, he said, per ClutchPoints' Joey Mistretta.
“I was really disappointed when I was traded; there was nothing like that. I mean, I came back to 17 people cheering for me,” Rivers said. “So no, I have never seen anything like [the Mavs fans' reaction to the Luka trade]. It was awesome, though, for Luka, you know… It was obviously bad for people here (in Dallas), but you make deals you got to live with. Listen, we make decisions all through our lives, and whether they're good or bad, you just got to live with them.”
Rivers added, he initially thought new trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers was AI. He was “shocked” when he found out the news was indeed true. Rivers was traded twice as a player. First, from the Atlanta Hawks to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1991. Then, again from the Clippers to the New York Knicks the following season.
Rivers played for the Hawks for the first eight seasons of his career from 1983 to 1991. He was also traded as a coach in 2013 from the Boston Celtics to Los Angeles Clippers in one of the rarest trades in league history.
Doc Rivers blasts Pacers fans for booing Bucks' Myles Turner
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers knows remembered what it was like being traded by a team he played nearly a decade for, including his rookie season, which is precisely why he stood up for Myles Turner, who spent 10 seasons with the Pacers. All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo stood up for Turner as well.
After the game, Rivers used the opportunity to reveal Turner had intentions of returning to the Pacers, during the offseason.
“This guy gives you 10 years,” Rivers said. “I want to make something clear. Myles was not looking to leave. Myles was made available. That is a big difference.”
The Bucks will face two teams on the road this week, starting with the Mavericks, and ending against the Hornets, in Charlotte, on Wednesday.
