Why would a franchise trade their biggest active star? Someone who had aspirations and potential to be the next Dirk Nowitzki of the league or maybe even better. The fans were left baffled by the trade decision that came from the Dallas Mavericks. However, not all the experts of the game see the Mavs ownership at fault.
Udonis Haslem is one such NBA legend who believes the Mavs had their rightful reasons to do what they did. “I wasn’t mad to see an organization take the power back. They did. I wasn’t mad at that… I’ve seen too many players hold teams hostage with bad habits… Cause he our best player, we gotta let him get away with that. Nah…,” he said.
Well, it’s no secret that the Luka Doncic trade came with a big question: Why? Yes, he led the team to the NBA Finals in the last season but his allegedly increasing weight issues and declining efforts on defensive attempts were what made the Mavs think about what the future looks like for them the 5x All-Star in the long run. Haslem believes a true championship contender of a team would not let such hurdles in his way.
“If you’re really talking about winning championships, if your best player is your hardest worker and your leader, that take your locker room and I take your team to another level. And we seen that firsthand, so we know what that looks like,” UD said on his The OGs podcast.
However, it’s not as if Haslem has no faith in the 5x All-Star. The 3x NBA champ believes that Doncic still being 25 still gives him more than enough time to learn. The only condition is that the Slovenian star is willing to learn. While his performance has never been in question, his intent would only reflect in his upcoming days as a Laker.
For now, it’s Dallas who Udonis Haslem is favoring over Doncic. And he’s not the first legend from the Miami Heat who backed Mavericks’ management amid the harsh criticism.
Dwyane Wade defended Mavericks General Manager against social media heat for Luka Doncic trade
It’s no secret that the Mavs supporters were outraged over the Luka Doncic trade. And at the center of their anger? General Manager Nico Harrison, the man who pulled the trigger on the deal. But while the backlash grew louder, Dwyane Wade stepped up to defend Harrison.
On his podcast, The Why With Dwyane, the Miami Heat legend praised the Mavericks GM for having the courage to make such a bold decision. Wade expressed frustration with people in positions of power who hesitate to take action, pointing out that Harrison didn’t fall into that category. Instead, he took a risk—one that not everyone would have the guts to make.
Wade even compared Harrison’s decisiveness to that of Miami Heat President Pat Riley. He reminded fans that Riley never hesitated when making tough calls, whether it was moving on from Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, or even Wade himself. In Wade’s eyes, Harrison showed that same level of boldness—something few executives possess.
While fans may still be furious, Udons Haslem and Dwyane Wade’s words offer a different perspective on the whole Luka Doncic trade issue.
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