Luka Doncic’s surprising trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers has sparked a fiery reaction from his father, Sasa Doncic. Following the blockbuster trade, the Slovenian star’s father slammed the Mavericks for trading their star player after making a huge impact on the team’s success. Doncic was traded to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. The news of the trade has sent a shockwave in the NBA community but in particular, Sasa’s response revealed that he was upset by the trade.
Luka Doncic’s father Sasa Doncic responds to his trade to the LA Lakers
Luka Doncic with his father Sasa Doncic. Image via: FIBA
Luka Doncic has joined LeBron James and Co. following a blockbuster trade on Sunday. The trade, however, sparked a heated response from Doncic’s father Sasa who slammed the Dallas Mavericks for trading his son despite his contribution to the team. Appearing on the Slovenian sports network Arena, Sasa shared, “With this trade, the hypocrisy from the Mavs organization hurts me personally.”
He continued, “I think Luka absolutely did not deserve this. He sacrificed a lot and truly respected Dallas.”
Sasa went on to slam the Mavericks. “He respected the whole city, helped children, and never hesitated to visit hospitals and charity events. He played 100 games last season, averaging 40 minutes while constantly being double-teamed. It’s really unfair what certain people from Dallas did,” he added.
Further, Sasa said, “Luka lost nothing with this trade… It’s not easy for Luka, moving is never easy, everything is going fast. Time will tell, but I’m sure this will be good for him”
Regardless, Doncic is now a Laker but he did not shy away from sharing his heartfelt message for the Mavericks fans. Following the trade, he took to his X handle to share the emotional message. “Grateful for this amazing opportunity. Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion, and goal—to win championships,” Doncic shared thanking the fans form the “bottom of” his heart.
On January 30, 2025, the Dallas Mavericks shared a photo of Doncic on their official X which sparked a wide reaction from NBA fans and several stars in the league. “Ok last one we swear,” the franchise wrote.
Following their statement, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker apparently mocked the Mavericks in a post on X, “Kept their word.”
Doncic’s brief teammate Klay Thompson also reacted to the trade. “I wish Luka the best. It was a joy to play with him in those 22 games we were together, but we’re obviously going to welcome AD with open arms…It’s the nature of the business, obviously you have to be professional with all things in front of you. I look forward to keeping the goal the same,” he shared (via: Mike Curtis).
Also Read: Luka Doncic sends heartfelt message to Mavericks fans after joining LA Lakers in a surprising trade: “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart”
The Doncic-Davis trade has grabbed headlines and become one of the most talked about NBA incidents of recent times. The deal is expected to reshape the landscape of the upcoming games as fans are looking at both stars set to perform in different teams.
