The ESPN writer still can’t believe Dallas traded Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers secured their fourth win of the season on Friday night Luka Doncic’s dominant return from a three-game absencebut one ESPN reporter remains amazed that it is Dallas Mavericks ever release a superstar.

Team Bontemps shared his disbelief on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: “It remains completely incomprehensible that Luka Doncic has been changed.”

Doncic (26) made his comeback, recording 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. The Lakers’ 117-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in their NBA Cup opener. He shot 14-for-27 from the field, 6-for-15 from beyond the arc and 10-for-13 from the free throw line in another signature performance that cemented his place among the league’s elite.

In three games this season, Doncic averaged 45.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game, while shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three. His dominance has fueled the Lakers’ early success as they continue to deal with the absence of LeBron James due to a sciatica injury that kept him out of training camp.

The 2025-26 campaign marks Doncic’s first full season in Los Angeles since The Lakers acquired him in an emergency February trade who sent Anthony DavisMax Christie, and Dallas’ first-round pick in 2029. The deal, which shocked the NBA world, has since been considered one of the most defining trades in recent memory.

Mavericks deal with Anthony Davis’ latest injury as Lakers, Luka Doncic rush

Meanwhile, the Mavericks have struggled to adjust without their former franchise cornerstone. Dallas opened the season 2-3 and faces further challenges after Davis suffered a calf strain on the team Indiana Pacers win 107-105 on Wednesday. Davis, 32, was limited to just seven minutes before exiting, finishing with four points, four rebounds and one steal.

Through five games, Davis averaged 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three. He is he is expected to miss the Mavericks’ next two contests — Saturday against the Detroit Pistons (3-2) in Mexico City and Monday against the Houston Rockets (2-2).

The Lakers, now 4-2 on the season, return home to face the Miami Heat (3-2) on Sunday at 9:30 PM ET. Miami enters the matchup with one of the most explosive offenses in the league, averaging 125.4 points per game, second only to the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers and Mavericks meet later this month on November 28th at 10:00 PM ET on Prime Video, potentially marking Davis’ first game in Los Angeles if healthy.

While Doncic continues to deliver MVP-caliber performances, the early return further validated the Lakers’ decision to build around him and James. For Bontemps and many others, Dallas’ choice to sell its generational talent remains one of the most baffling moves in modern NBA history.