When Luka Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, there were plenty of conspiracy theories about why that happened. The Mavs said in “diplomatic language” that he was out of shape and they wanted a player who would bring more to the defensive end. Fans quickly went back to one of the funniest moments in his career. After the Mavs advanced to the Finals in 2024, a video captured Luka drinking a beer in the hallway. Michael Finley, who at the time, was the vice president of basketball operations, came and took that beer away. Following the trade to the Lakers, fans joked that the Mavs didn’t let him drink beer, so they shipped him away.
Mark Cuban Clears the Air on Luka Doncic’s Viral Beer Clip
In a recent podcast, Mark Cuban, who was the owner of the Mavericks at the time, was asked about the situation. The whole viral moment has gone out of control in the past year, mainly because Luka was traded to the Lakers, and he was not in the best shape. Speaking about the incident, Cuban said,
“I was standing right there. I was fine with it, right? And it wasn’t because he didn’t want him to drink it. It was because there were cameras everywhere, you know, and just not cool when a player is doing an interview with a beer, you know? So, Michael wasn’t like worried about, oh, you’re going to gain weight or any of that. If he didn’t do it, I would have done it, you know? It was more about cameras going to be rolling. You’re going to need to be talking. Nobody needs to know that you’re drinking a beer. How many times have you seen a player do an interview with a beer in his hand?”
Cuban might have a point there. But that moment definitely made fans in Dallas crazy after the trade. The clip was shared everywhere, as part of the proof the Mavs didn’t respect Luka enough. But as in every story, there are two sides to it. Some might say it is just one beer, but others might be on the side that a professional player should be careful how he conducts himself in public.
Luka Getting Back at the Mavs
This offseason, Luka found extra motivation to get in the best possible shape. In an interview with Men’s Health, he detailed his new workout and nutrition routine. It is evident that he is a better shape than before. That is all good news for the Lakers, who will look to build around Luka for the next five to seven years, maybe even longer.
As for his shape, even his teammates from the national team see the difference. One of them recently talked about how Luka is faster and jumps higher. For a player who was never reliant on athleticism to get his points, becoming faster can be the difference between an MVP season and a great season. Even with his slow moves, Luka has averaged 30+ points. Imagine him being faster and more explosive? How much harder would it be to guard him? The Mavericks will see the new Luka early in the season, when they visit Los Angeles on November 28th.
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