Former Mavericks guard reveals team's reaction to Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Although they can't say it yet, most of the team was just as surprised as everyone else.

Oct 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a foul call during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks' decision to trade Luka Doncic away to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis has caught consistent flack since the moment it was announced. It's one of the most baffling decisions a franchise has ever made and gets worse any time a front office member opens their mouth.

For the first time since the trade, though, a player on the team at the time of the trade has spoken out about the team's reaction, although he himself would be traded a day or two later.

READ MORE: Mavs' Nico Harrison pulls cowardly move, breaks silence on Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Apr 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) controls the ball against the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Quentin Grimes, who was traded from the Mavericks to the Philadelphia 76ers in the immediate aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, recently went on "The Young Man and the Three" podcast with Tommy Alter and opened up on what he was doing when the trade broke and what happened soon after.

"I was in my hotel room in Cleveland; I had just ordered room service, had just got chicken wings, I'm chilling. It was funny, you know how you got your friends that if one of them is calling, you're like, 'Why they calling me? I should probably pick this up.' When the trade happened around 11:30 and then my man's calling me, I'm like, 'Why is he calling? I should probably answer this real quick.' It was a FaceTime, all I could hear, his audio wasn't working, and he was like, 'You traded Luka?... Lu got traded!' I'm like, 'Stop playing with me, what you mean Lu got traded?' And I go to Shams [Charania], and it's like, 'Luka for AD.' And then... all I heard, it was like ten seconds later, all I hear in the hallway is, 'Ayo, what the F---?!' I looked out my door and it's Naji [Marshall], [Dereck Lively II], P.J. [Washington], and we're just looking at each other like, 'What the f--- just happened?'"

"What you mean Luka got traded?!" -- Quentin Grimes on finding out about the Luka trade while on the Mavs 🚨 NEW YM3 TOMORROW 🚨 pic.twitter.com/OUnGdFXKJl

— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) April 15, 2025

That's how everybody reacted when the trade was announced, a move that has already been labeled as the craziest trade in NBA history. And Dallas has predictably faltered since the deal, going 13-20 and falling to the 10th seed in the West, the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. Once more players are off the team or are willing to talk about it in the offseason, it's going to reveal a lot of the behind-the-scenes turmoil the team went through this year, and it will be fascinating.

READ MORE: Mavericks CEO makes embarrassing Warriors comparison for Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

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