12-28-2025, 06:59 PM
(12-28-2025, 06:00 PM)F Gump Wrote: I generally agree with what Rachel Nichols and people here are saying about Luka. Human behavior is what it is. At some point, when someone keeps showing you who he is, over and over and over, then I think it's correct (and wise) to accept that that's who he is and what you are going to get. Change has to come from within, and if someone doesn't want to change and continues long term with the same way of doing things, change won't ever happen.
What I would disagree with is any takes that kinda give Luka a pass, in accepting this is what you get. In athletic competition, players can meet their limits of ability. But with Luka, a HUGE percentage of his defensive failings (probably the vast majority) are NOT beyond his ability at all. He simply QUITS and refuses to even play that defensive end of the floor. Of his own volition, Luka CAN choose to play defense every time, if he is willing. But he just won't. It's been his motif for years.
That makes it frustrating, the fact that he can fix the problem if just tries. But he won't. And RN is insightful in saying that it's time to accept he never will. Ugh.
All fair. We also should not forget that he won EuroBasket on a bum ankle as an 18 year old and won everything in sight in Europe before he was legally allowed to drink in America. He also led the Mavs to the WC and NBA finals before what is usually considered the prime of a player. I think there is a decent argument to be made that the Mavs could have won the title last year, if that moron Nico had not lost his mind. Let´s be honest the regular season is pretty meaningless.
Through the trade Nico has sabotaged the Mavs and Luka. That Lakers team is complete trash. LeBron is finished. He plays no defense at all. It´s so obvious there is a huge struggle going on between Luka and LeBron. If I am the Mavs, I at least keep the cap flexible for 2028. I think Luka misses Dallas, despite all the crap that went down with Nico.