The Dallas Mavericks sent shockwaves through the sports world over the weekend when they traded star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a package that included center Anthony Davis.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was like many Dallas sports fans as he was in shock following the announcement of the trade. In fact, Mahomes posted, “Wait what?” when news of the deal broke.
Luka Doncic trade details emerge: Lakers couldn’t talk to agent, Danny Ainge was in the dark, per reports
Brad Botkin
During Monday’s media day for Super Bowl LIX, Mahomes had more time to ponder the trade, and gave his thoughts of Doncic being moved from the Mavericks.
“It’s tough because I’ve watched (Doncic) since he was 18 years old,” Mahomes said at media day in New Orleans on Monday. “I remember going to a practice and it was Dirk (Nowitzki) and Luka, and seeing his maturation and how great of a basketball he has became, it’s been fun to watch.
“As a Dallas fan, it hurts me. But I’m happy for him that he’s going to be able to go out there and be in L.A. and try to achieve his dream of winning a championship. He did so much, not only for the basketball team but for the city of Dallas, so I’ll always be appreciative of those years. But I’m excited for the Mavericks moving forward and the guys they brought in.”
Mahomes was born in Tyler, Texas, which is a suburb of Dallas. As a result, the Chiefs quarterback ended up attending Texas Tech and has become an avid Dallas sports fan.
Much like Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was also caught off-guard by the franchise-altering trade.
“I kinda was shocked by that too,” Barkley said. “I think everybody in the sports world was shocked by that. But sports is a crazy business, and I think Luka and AD are gonna make the most of it.”
Mahomes is one of the NFL’s biggest stars, so he can certainly relate to how surprising it would be to be traded in that manner. However, Mahomes also seemed to understand it from a business standpoint as he expresses his excitement for the players the Mavericks acquired.
