In the early aftermath of the bombshell Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade, which saw many fans calling for Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison's head, the prevailing narrative was that Dallas traded away its franchise cornerstone due to concerns regarding his weight and overall health. There was also chatter that the front office didn't believe he would sign a supermax extension—rumors Dončić himself has shut down—but the leaks coming from inside the team suggested the 25-year-old's fitness was the main issue.
History will determine whether Harrison made the right move in the long run—but in the short term, the Mavs are struggling big time while the Lakers are finding a rhythym. Even as he continues his recovery from a calf injury, Dončić does not at all look like a player who is woefully out of shape and very much like the future face of his new team.
And perhaps this is because, as purported in a new article from ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Dončić was highly motivated by Harrison's and the Mavs' claims, though he didn't make it outwardly known.
Per the piece published Tuesday: "Though Dončić did not publicly comment on the constant flow of leaks from the Mavericks organization disparaging his weight and conditioning, one source close to Dončić told ESPN the comments have served as a motivator. 'A beast was awakened inside him,' the source said."
Dallas should have seen that coming. Obviously, if they disparage a league superstar's work ethic and trade him in the middle of the night, said superstar is about to fight back. Again, in a few years, maybe the general public will understand a bit better why the team did what they did, but for the time being it looks like Doncic and his inner beast are about to make clear that he is worth all this hype.
The 25-year-old will have a chance at a revenge game on Tuesday night when the Lakers host the Mavericks at 10 p.m. ET.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as A 'Beast Was Awakened' Inside Luka Dončić Due to Mavericks' Weight Comments.