Although the NBA Finals are underway and Game 1 was a doozy, many are still pondering the massive trade that preceded prior to the deadline between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The trade between the two was one that no one saw coming and one that shocked the entire sports world. The Mavericks decided to trade superstar and five-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
Doncic had just led the Mavericks to the Finals in 2024; however, the front office didn’t believe he could be the guy to lead them to the next level, hence the trade. While time has passed on the trade, there are some who cannot believe the Mavericks could give up on a player like Doncic, including NBA Hall of Famer Don Nelson.
Nelson revealed he’ll be honored with the 2025 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award and shared that he plans to wear Luka Doncic’s signature sneakers in silent protest of the midseason trade that sent the Slovenian star from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Don Nelson quote to @TheSteinLine about the “protest” of the Luka trade he’s staging tonight pic.twitter.com/Z67keML3xr
— DLLS Mavs (@DLLS_Mavs) June 8, 2025
“Luka is my dear friend,” Nelson said, “I’m going to wear a pair of his new shoes. I wanted to mention that.”
“My philosophy was always, when you’ve got a great player, he’s yours for a lifetime. You don’t get rid of great players. When that happened, I was pretty disappointed.”
Nelson will likely be sporting Luka 4 shoes.
The 85-year-old spent almost a decade with the Mavericks organization as head coach of the team from 1997-2005. Nelson’s son, Donnie, was part of the Mavericks organization and played a role in the team’s trade for Doncic during the 2018 NBA Draft.
The Mavericks shocked the sports world when they decided to trade him to the Lakers. Many were not only upset about the trade, but also about the fact that the Mavericks didn’t receive the best possible package in return for him.
The trade itself is indefensible from the Mavericks’ side — but for the Lakers, it’s the kind of move you make every single time without hesitation.
Even with Dallas landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, parting ways with Doncic remains a head-scratcher for many, including Nelson, who has made his stance on the deal crystal clear.
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