Doc Rivers’ honest confession about Mavericks fans after the Luka Doncic trade

When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, making one of the most shocking changes in NBA history, head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks Doc Rivers he didn’t believe it. Before facing Anthony Davis and Dallas Mavericks, recalled his initial reaction to the move. Rivers defended Myles Turner after fans booed him to leave the Indiana Pacers in free agency. He also thought about what it was like to be trafficked.

Rivers, a former NBA point guard turned head coach, reflected on how he must have felt about Luka Doncic and Davis, who were seemingly blinded by a surprising movehe said, according to Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.

“I was really disappointed when I got traded; there was nothing like it. I mean, I got 17 people back who were rooting for me,” Rivers said. “So no, I’ve never seen anything like (Mavs fans’ reaction to the Luke trade). It was great, but for Luke, you know… Obviously it was bad for the people here (in Dallas), but you make deals that you have to live with. Look, we make decisions throughout our lives, and whether they’re good or bad, you just have to live with them.”

Rivers added that at first he thought the new trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers was artificial intelligence. He was “shocked” to learn that the news was indeed true. Rivers was traded twice as a player. First, from the Atlanta Hawks to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1991. Then, from the Clippers again to the New York Knicks the following season.

Rivers played for the Hawks for the first eight seasons of his career from 1983 to 1991. He was also traded as a coach in 2013 from the Boston Celtics to the Los Angeles Clippers in one of the rarest trades in league history.

Doc Rivers slams Pacers fans for booing Bucks’ Myles Turner

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers knows what it’s like to trade a team he’s played for for nearly a decade, including his rookie season, which is why he stood up for Myles Turner, who spent 10 seasons with the Pacers. All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo stood up for Turner likewise.

After the game, Rivers took the opportunity to reveal that Turner intends to return to the Pacers during the offseason.

“This guy gives you 10 years,” Rivers said. “I want to make something clear. Miles didn’t want to leave. Miles was made available. That’s a big difference.”

The Bucks will face two teams on the road this week, starting with the Mavericks and the Hornets in Charlotte on Wednesday.