AD pivotal to Mavs' 'vision,' 'culture,' GM says

CLEVELAND -- Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison emphasized the importance of "culture" in explaining his stunning decision to trade 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package headlined by 31-year-old All-Star big man Anthony Davis.

"As we turn the page, I think it's important to know that [Jason Kidd] and I, we've had a vision and the culture that we want to create since we've been here," Harrison said before Sunday's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. "The players that we're bringing in we believe exemplify that. We think defense wins championships and we're bringin-g in one of the best two-way players in the league."

The Mavericks and Lakers finalized the three-way deal that the Utah Jazz helped facilitate around midnight Saturday night. The Mavericks will also receive promising third-year wing Max Christie and the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick while sending injured big man Maxi Kleber and reserve veteran forward Markieff Morris to the Lakers along with Doncic.

The reaction throughout the league and team, however, was shock that Dallas would part ways with a five-team first-team All-NBA selection who is still approaching his prime, particularly only months after Doncic led the Mavs to the NBA Finals.

"Well, let's be clear: I'm the one making the decision and [Kidd]'s supportive of it, so it's me," said Harrison, who has made major trades before the deadline in each of his four years as Mavericks general manager. "I don't do anything that's scary. I think everything that we do, we put a lot of work into it, we study it and we re-study it and we go back. I understand the magnitude of it.

"So, the easiest thing for me to do is do nothing, and everyone would praise me for doing nothing. But we really believe in it -- and time will tell if I'm right."

Sources told ESPN that constant concerns about Doncic's conditioning were a major factor in the Mavericks' decision to approach the Lakers about a trade for Davis. Doncic has played in only 22 games this season due to injuries, primarily a left calf strain that has sidelined him since Christmas Day. There was extreme frustration throughout the organization about Doncic's lackadaisical approach to diet and conditioning, which Dallas' decision-makers believed negatively impacted his durability, sources said.

Harrison, however, demurred when asked if he was implying that Doncic did not fit the culture that the Mavericks are attempting to build.

"Listen, one thing about me, I'm not going to talk bad about any players," Harrison said. "I mean, that's not going to do us or me any good. I just say there's levels to it. There's people that fit the culture and there's people that come in and add to the culture. And those are two distinct things. And I believe the people that we're coming in are adding to the culture."

Harrison said the trade was made to "make our team better" but also mentioned Doncic's contractual situation as a consideration. He was eligible to sign a five-year, $345 million supermax contract this summer, and league sources said that Doncic anticipated agreeing to that deal.

Instead, the Mavericks opted to trade Doncic before they could offer him such an extension. Because of the trade, Doncic no longer qualifies for a supermax deal. He can sign an extension with the Lakers for as much as $229 million over five years this summer. Doncic can opt out of his contract after the 2025-26 season, when several teams including the Miami Heat are expected to be able to make a maximum offer to free agents.

"There's some unique things about his contract that we had to pay attention to," Harrison said. "There's other teams that were loading up that he was going to be able to decide, make his own decision at some point of whether he wants to be here or not. Whether we want to supermax him or not, or whether he wants to opt out. So I think we had to take all that into consideration, and I feel like we got out in front of what could have been a tumultuous summer."

Harrison did not discuss potential Doncic trades with any other franchise other than the Lakers, as the Mavericks made acquiring 10-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive team selection Davis their primary goal. Harrison first initiated talks with Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka over coffee when the Lakers were in Dallas to play the Mavs on Jan. 7 and those discussions progressed over the following month.

"We kept it between us," Harrison said. "We had to keep it tight. J-Kidd didn't know about it, but J-Kidd and I are aligned. We talk about archetypes and we talk about the culture that we want to create. So I know the type of players that he likes without actually talking to him."

Kidd, who coached Davis as a Lakers assistant on the 2019-20 title team, said he wasn't aware of the trade until the "11th hour." It was briefly discussed in a Sunday morning team meeting, but Kidd said none of the Mavs players asked any questions when given the opportunity.

"It is a little shocking, but in the sense, we have to push forward," Kidd said. "As an organization, as a team, we have a game to play and we have to be pros about it. But we understand what Luka has meant to the Mavericks, and we wish him and his family the best in L.A. Also Maxi and [Morris]. But we have to push forward, and we believe we have a team to do that."