Luka Doncic’s midseason trade was one of the most shocking moves in recent NBA history. Initially, many speculated that his lingering calf injury, which had sidelined him since Christmas, played a role in the decision. However, new reports suggest that the Dallas Mavericks front office had deeper concerns about Doncic’s long-term future with the team, including issues related to his conditioning and lifestyle choices.

NBA insider Marc Spears added another development to the controversy. Spears pointed to Luka’s struggles in the NBA Finals against Jaylen Brown as a key reason why the Mavericks began to doubt him on The Cedric Maxwell Podcast. The analyst also claimed that Dallas’ general manager Nico Harrison no longer saw Doncic as “that guy” after witnessing his performance against Brown.

“That dude, [Jaylen Brown] is the reason why Luka got traded. What he did to Luka in the Finals was shut him down, guarding him full court and making it unbearable offensively. This led Dallas to question Luka as the leader of the team and questioning his conditioning,” Spears said.

The numbers support Spears’ claim. Per NBC Sports Boston, Brown defended the Slovenian for a total of 32 minutes and four seconds over five games. During that time, Luka Doncic managed just 21 points, shooting 9-of-22 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arc while also committing five turnovers.

The Raptors famously traded DeMar DeRozan after repeated playoff disappointments, and the move ultimately led to an NBA championship. However, trading away a generational talent like Doncic based on a Finals performance from nine months ago seems like a drastic measure.

Jaylen Brown Praises Luka Doncic After Celtics’ Victory Over Lakers

Jaylen Brown had nothing but admiration for Luka Doncic after the Boston Celtics secured a 111-101 victory over the Lakers on Saturday. Speaking at the post-game press conference, Brown expressed his deep respect for Doncic’s skill set and mentioned

“Luka is one of the greats. He’s one of those generational talents. Offensively, his talent is next to none. He’s one of my favorite players on that side of the ball,” Brown said.

Luka finished the game as the leading scorer for the Lakers with 34 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Before this loss, the Lakers were surging in Doncic’s era with an eight games winning streak.