What is YOUR consequence after Luka leaving?

[meistermatze]

Dear MavsBoard,

Like most of you, I am still in total and utter shock and disbelief over what has transpired in the last 48 hours. This board has always been a place to find some solace and reason, no matter how bad things looked for our Mavericks. But for the first time, being here has made me feel even more depressed—not because most of you share my sentiments and feelings, but because so many of you have already handed in your Mavs card, so to speak.
So I wanted to ask you all: What are your personal takeaways from all of this?

• Are you leaving the Mavs for good?
  
• Are you stepping away until someone new runs the organization?
  
• Are you following Luka to the Lakers?
  
• Are you done with the NBA entirely?
  
• Are you able to stand with your boys in blue, no matter what?
  

Just trying to get a sense of the overall impact. Right now, I have no idea where I stand. As some of you may know, I’m from Germany and have been a fan since 2004, following the Mavs closely since 2008 when it became possible to watch games online. I attended a game in Philadelphia during our title season (Kidd’s last career triple-double), and I’ve been to Dallas twice for three games in total—highlighted by witnessing Dirk’s jersey retirement. I’ve bled blue for more than half my life, and I could imagine nothing better than Dirk passing the torch to Luka.

I’ve mostly been a lurker in recent years, but I still watched EVERY game, and the Mavs became my #1 sports passion. I proved all the haters wrong—thinking back to TMOGE from the old board, who predicted I’d disappear for good once Dirk was gone. I never imagined a scenario where I’d question everything: my Mavs fandom, my Lakers hatred, my love for the NBA. But I also never thought we could trade Luka. This feels like a real identity crisis, and I know many of you feel the same.

It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds. I really hope I won’t walk away completely—and I hope the same for all of you. But I understand if some of you can’t keep going (and honestly, I’m not sure if I can either).

[SleepingHero]

I don’t know man. Since the news broke I’ve been aimless.

How can I trust this organization anymore when they ripped the carpet out from under us when we already had a good finals level team? How am I supposed to think they won’t do it again in the future?

How am I supposed to feel when they treated Luka so badly on the way out? How can I trust their evaluations when they think AD is a fair compensation for Luka fucking Doncic? Even worse how can he trade OUR guy to the fucking LAKERS of all places for pennies on the dollar?

No warning in the middle of the night, Nico Harrison destroyed my team. He may have had his reasons. Sure Luka has his warts. But can we honestly say we’re in a better position now than if we just had held onto Luka and seen it through? I don’t think so.

One thing I am very sure of is that I will root hard for Luka. I want him to succeed because he is that dude. I’ll be following his journey in Laker land.

As to whether I am totally done with the Mavs remains to be seen. It’s hard to quit a 30+ year obsession. I said it when Dirk retired that I was a Mavs fan first and foremost. And I am still begrudgingly a Mavs fan.

But my patience has run out and my ability to reason with this version of a Mavs front office has disintegrated.

In the aftermath of this Luka trade I am going to hate watch them. If the team does miraculously well then of course I’ll be pleased but it will feel empty.

If this team performs like how I think they are going to perform, we’re going to be stuck in the lottery for YEARS and forever be known as the laughingstock of the NBA for the rest of time for giving up Luka in his prime for no reason.

Ugh.

[hakeemfaan]

It’s been 2 nights. I crafted a farewell from this board but still kept posting. due to having PTSD.

I still can’t believe Nico traded Luka F Doncic more or less straight up for AD. The absurdity, the sheer absurdity of it still doesn’t register. Either we have a double agent here or he is monumentally stupid. The fact that ownership also sat in and thought this was a great deal makes it worse. I don’t want to hear any rationalizations of why this was the best deal. He DID NOT even let all teams know to see what loot he could get. He decided AD and a distant first was good enough. This still makes me so upset.

I am out. I went through the lowest times in the 90s pre the big 3,, the highs after getting them, the lows after they were all traded away, and I still backed this team. The Kidd trade was upsetting but he was not a five time All NBA yet. This is different. When mgmt and ownership does something so egregious, there is no coming back unless we get new ownership one day. The betrayal here is too much. I will follow the Spurs till then. My older kid is done with the NBA. My younger one says he will follow the Lakers. They have lost a generation of fans who will find it very hard to forgive and forget.

Edit. I want to add again my gratitude to all the members of this board. Many are like me and have followed different iterations of this board. Many are gone Some left us for heavenly abodes. I used to consider myself as a hardcore NBA fan but interacting with many of the folks here I realized I was nothing. The basketball knowledge , civility and intelligence has been a sheer pleasure to interact with. I won’t miss the Mavs. I had mentioned before that Dirk getting his will always keep me content. I will miss this awesome group of friends who I never met but somehow became a close part of my life. All the best to those who will continue on here and support this team.

[khaled1987]

I've followed the NBA less and less since 2021, mainly because that was the time I met my significant other and it is tough to put much time in the league and the team with the massive time zone difference when you are no longer free person ?
But also, seeing Rick & Donnie leaving the way they did, when they were two consistent from the franchise when I started following it in 2008, left a bitter taste tbh. I was open to them leaving but not that abrupt and ugly way.

I still followed the board here, watched the draft and playoffs games, followed the news etc. But barely watched the team in regular season.

Then, new owners came, and I truly hate what they represent (I don'twant to enter this discussion) ,  and essentially, I stopped even checking box score outside of playoffs, where I still watched the games when I could last year. Mostly replies, again due time zone difference.

Now, this leaves an even more bitter taste, and I actually, I feel lucky that I am not a die hard fan as many here, being from Egypt,  I have no connection to Dallas, and watching games was always a hustle etc, so I can't imagine how it is for you guys.

I expect to be more of a "I will check on the Mavs" type of fan. Would probably get here every few weeks, see how we do in playoffs etc. But I doubt I will be watching games

[Smitty]

This is the worst trade in the history of sports, not just basketball. Regardless of your opinion of Luka or Davis. This is a move by a GM that only cares about a 2-3 year window, while he's employed. Nico has tunnel vision. I've shared my own thoughts on here about Luka's longevity in the league, with the usage and minutes he's had to expend to keep this franchise competitive but it's malpractice to make this move in secret with only one other franchise the way he did. Any time you trade a generational player, you should include other people in the organization and think about the impact as a whole, have a well thought out plan and be accountable. This was a move made by one person that has no ties to Dallas after this fails.

I will probably hate-watch the Mavs this year, follow Luka in LA, but I can't find myself rooting for the Lakers. My dad is a Spurs fan so maybe I will watch and follow that team more as time goes on, but it could never reach the fandom I've had for the Mavs for 36 years.

[Kidnova]

I voted stand with the Mavs, since the options are really biased to one side and it's the closest fit. I'm a Mavs fan and I don't change team allegiance with players or management. I will be less invested and less likely to tune in for the near future, until I find a reason to get locked in. That doesn't necessarily mean Nico out or championship, but it might.

[BolsDamols]

I will follow Luka and hope he does well in LA, and I will cheer for him in the playoffs against guys like SGA, Morant, Ant, Tatum, etc. I still think he is the best of the bunch (warts and all) and he will once again prove it in the playoffs - I will be watching then. Long after Nico Harrison is irrelevant, Luka will still be Luka, and hell I want to see what a motivated Luka looks like. This is probably the most motivated he is in his entire career. I have emotional attachment to Luka and the Luka Mavs, in the same manner I had with the Dirk teams, that I will not have with the new look AD Mavs. I feel bad for guys like PJ, Klay, Lively, Kai and the others, and I wish them well as individuals.

But the Mavs as long as Nico and the Adelsons are there is dead to me. I admire those people that still try to figure out depth charts and what moves to make next even after Luka was traded - good on you, you guys are better fans than me. The Mavs dont deserve you, not after the betrayal that they have done. I wish that Luka faces the Mavs eventually in the playoffs, this season (if the Mavs even make it) or the next, with Nico and the Adelsons watching and just destroy the Mavs same way he did the Suns in that WCF. When that happens it will be bittersweet, but I will enjoy the look on Nico's face as Luka buries shot after shot, stepback 3 after stepback 3 while looking in his direction and screaming "Take that Motherf******************ker!"

[DallasMaverick]

I enjoy basketball, so it doesn’t really change anything.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

There is also a ton of pressure on Luka to win chips with the Lakers, after LeBron leaves. They traded for Luka for the future. Dallas won this trade in the short term. What if he doesn't get it done? Will Nico be vindicated? Will he have the last laugh? This is about the Mavs didn't trust Luka to give him that Super Max because they knew he's not serious about his conditioning and dedication to his body. I think this trade is a wakeup call for his career.

[meistermatze]

I will follow Luka and hope he does well in LA, and I will cheer for him in the playoffs against guys like SGA, Morant, Ant, Tatum, etc. I still think he is the best of the bunch (warts and all) and he will once again prove it in the playoffs - I will be watching then. Long after Nico Harrison is irrelevant, Luka will still be Luka, and hell I want to see what a motivated Luka looks like. This is probably the most motivated he is in his entire career. I have emotional attachment to Luka and the Luka Mavs, in the same manner I had with the Dirk teams, that I will not have with the new look AD Mavs. I feel bad for guys like PJ, Klay, Lively, Kai and the others, and I wish them well as individuals.

But the Mavs as long as Nico and the Adelsons are there is dead to me. I admire those people that still try to figure out depth charts and what moves to make next even after Luka was traded - good on you, you guys are better fans than me. The Mavs dont deserve you, not after the betrayal that they have done. I wish that Luka faces the Mavs eventually in the playoffs, this season (if the Mavs even make it) or the next, with Nico and the Adelsons watching and just destroy the Mavs same way he did the Suns in that WCF. When that happens it will be bittersweet, but I will enjoy the look on Nico's face as Luka buries shot after shot, stepback 3 after stepback 3 while looking in his direction and screaming "Take that Motherf******************ker!"

It is crazy to think that imagining this made me smile. I still want the Mavs to succeed and I guess, a championship this year would make it kind of okay for me, at least from an opportunistic standpoint, because I would like to continue enjoying my favorite team in sports. And realistically, we live in the real world and not in the movies. But from and idealistic standpoint, I value loyalty and fairness and by principle, I root for the underdog. That's why I loved Dirk's Mavs so much. They won, and they won the right way. They said no to all the haters and built around Dirk, warts and all. Luka is, basketball-wise, even more special and they gave up to bring some mercenaries here. It just don't feel right and if it was a movie, I would love to see Luka destryoing the Mavs on the biggest stage.

[Scott41theMavs]

Option four - out as an NBA fan entirely - but if my gonzo theory is correct and the Mavs miss the playoffs (that's virtually assured - championship this year? ha!) *and* are gifted Cooper Flagg, I might end up drifting back. But of course if that happens, I will regard the NBA similarly to the WWE moving forward.

[Lukedoncic]

There have been some truly wonderful comments in this thread that have summarised exactly how I feel. I think Sleepingheros use of “aimless” really hits the nail on the head…

At the start of the season I told my oldest son, who’s 10, that we were all in this season, and I think I have to stand by that. He’s seen how rocked I am and he’s feeling it as well, but a promise is a promise.

I’ll begrudgingly support this team this season, but come the off-season… some big questions need to be answered.

If I had to throw a rough estimate at it, I’ve devoted maybe… 300 hours a year, every year to this team… and now this. I’m in the early stages of a divorce at the minute, and this is honestly more painful. 20 years of fandom to a team I thought would never turn their back on me… well, they’ve turned their back on me.

[LukaMVP]

as a mavs fan of about 1/4 a century I will surely not leave them boys in blue behind, unless they move the franchise to Vegas and change its name. could any mod do me a favor changing my screen name btw? it ain't no fun to be confused with a luka doncic fan, which I am not. I still hope luka can achieve some sort of success in LA or elsewhere, but I ain't a fan of him no more. I was a fan of him because he was a mav (arguably the second best player in franchise history), but it's not true the other way around. Kyrie and Davis are my favorite nba players right now.

[chaparral]

as a mavs fan of about 1/4 a century I will surely not leave them boys in blue behind, unless they move the franchise to Vegas and change its name. could any mod do me a favor changing my screen name btw? it ain't no fun to be confused with a luka doncic fan, which I am not. I still hope luka can achieve some sort of success in LA or elsewhere, but I ain't a fan of him no more. I was a fan of him because he was a mav  (arguably the second best player in franchise history), but it's not true the other way around. Kyrie and Davis are my favorite nba players right now.

Can a Mod help me change my name.  Outstanding LukaMVP...

[SleepingHero]

as a mavs fan of about 1/4 a century I will surely not leave them boys in blue behind, unless they move the franchise to Vegas and change its name. could any mod do me a favor changing my screen name btw? it ain't no fun to be confused with a luka doncic fan, which I am not. I still hope luka can achieve some sort of success in LA or elsewhere, but I ain't a fan of him no more. I was a fan of him because he was a mav  (arguably the second best player in franchise history), but it's not true the other way around. Kyrie and Davis are my favorite nba players right now.

Yeah I can attempt to. Give me what you’d like and I can try.

[fifteenth]

I enjoy basketball, so it doesn’t really change anything.

I vote my pal DM, Mavs employee, stand up dry comic, most emotionally healthy member of the forum. 

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I'll watch more games, especially if they make another trade and add a playmaker before the deadline. I hated James Harden ball, even if it led to winning. I probably watched around 5 Mavs games so far this season.

[rocky164]

I think SH summed up my feelings pretty well. I haven’t posted yet simply because I’m at a loss for words. The Mavs are MY TEAM and LUKA is my guy. I really doubt either will change given time to heal. My Mavs fandom goes back to the very start with the draft of Kiki Vandeweghe then Mark Aguirre the next year. I saw the team rise to the top of the NBA, crumble along with Roy Tarpley, watch the clock be dribbled out mistakenly in a tie game in the playoffs against the hated Lakers, get excited with the 3J’s, wander through the ghost land of the 90’s, then have a glimmer of hope restored with the hiring of Don Nelson, then the draft Dirk and Nash. Dirk eventually led us to a championship that still brings me to tears watching the clinching game. Luka was the next Dirk a generational talent whose size and skills are unique. No one can do what Luka can do. I think my frustration with his conditioning is much less than many of you. I understand the problem and believe the injuries are likely the result of the problem, but Luka is SO FUN to watch and PLAYS WITH SUCH JOY. It’s like picking a favorite actress and watching a film just because she’s in it. You don’t care whether or not the story or quality of the movie is good, you simply watch to watch because she’s in it. So I’ll probably follow Luka even in a Laker uniform. (By the way I hope he opts out and signs with another team easier to cheer for.). I’ll probably continue to follow the Mavs but It’ll most likely be through reading and box scores rather than watching every single game as I have for years. (Much like the 90’s). And I’ll still follow the NBA. I became a basketball fan originally by watching a kid names Lew Alcindor win a title with Oscar Robertson in Milwaukee, then followed him through his Laker years. I was “hooked”. He was my “first guy”. But as his career wained I followed the Spurs becoming a huge Iceman fan. I’m a native Ft Worth guy so when the Mavs got their franchise it was an easy switch.
All this to say, I’m not happy no matter what comes out of the front office’s mouth. We’ve been betrayed at the highest level possible as fans. This is the worst trade in the history of sports, and the FO deserves to see an empty AAC the rest of this year in protest. Yet, Luka is my guy and if I can follow Alcindor to becoming Jabbar and the Lakers then I can follow Luka to the Lakers. And I’m a Mavs lifer, for however long God grants me breath despite their unworthiness of my loyalty.

[Halfnir]

As a fellow German, i just sticked with the Mavs post-Dirk due to Luka's basketball magic and entertainment value.
Luka is gone and nothing left on the Mavs really sparks an urge to support them regardless. Never liked the organization outside the players that much anyway with all the warts of Cuban, Carlisle, Nelson, Coach Kidd and now Harrison and the new owners.

I'll probably start to watch a lot more Orlando Magic games for the Wagner Bros, sprinkled with a bit of Wemby and Lakers-Luka star power although these franchises don't get me excited either.

[fifteenth]

I don't know. Honestly, Cuban blowing up the championship team hit me harder than this, but I was way more invested back then.

I think I'll have to wait and see whether I am compelled to tune in when a game comes on or when a highlight video pops up. I guess that's just how basketball go.