NBA analyst drops Luka Doncic injury belief from Mavericks tenure

Luka Doncic may have been on the path to better conditioning, anyway.

Feb 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) appears to suffer a leg injury as he battles for the loose ball with Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic has made headlines this offseason with his new commitment to his body. Many believe it's because of the already infamous trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, but Zach Lowe believes he may have gone down that road anyway, despite the trade.

Doncic was on the cover of Men's Health magazine recently, with a few articles detailing the transformation he underwent this offseason, taking a month off from shooting a basketball to get in shape. And he looks better than ever.

READ MORE: NBA insider provides Luka Doncic update on feelings about Mavericks

Aug 2, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic (77) is interviewed by ESPN LA radio following a press conference announcing the signing of a 3-year, $165 million contract extension at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mavericks fans may roll their eyes because they went through this every offseason with him, watching his weight and seeing what he looked like, but you can tell from his contract extension press conference that he looks noticeably slimmer.

Mavericks fans are also a little annoyed that he was never able to take his conditioning this seriously while in Dallas. Even if the trade motivated him further, Zach Lowe said on a recent episode of his podcast that he believes he was headed down the path to better conditioning to begin with because of the injury suffered on Christmas Day.

“That leg injury, that could have been the wake-up call on its own, separate from the trade," Lowe said. "That was really the first season of Luka’s career that was derailed due to an injury that was probably in part related to his conditioning. And so maybe the wake-up call happens if he stays in Dallas.

“That said, I’m sure the trade and the subsequent sort of leaking bad stuff about Luka and his conditioning and his habits, I’m sure that didn’t exactly hurt his motivational levels to get in shape.”

Luka Doncic's Christmas Injury Led to Lakers Trade

Doncic went down with a calf strain on Christmas against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that seemed to be the boiling point between him and Nico Harrison. Reports have indicated that the training staff believed his calf strain was a 3-4 week injury, while Doncic and his newly formed team believed it was closer to a 6-8 week injury, which it was. That friction was the final straw for Harrison, and he traded him away.

Harrison believed Doncic wasn't taking the NBA seriously enough, and he dumped him to the Lakers, not getting nearly enough value in return. The trade has been panned by everyone. Even if some can understand how the Mavericks arrived at the decision to trade him, it was malpractice in how they went about it, only getting Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick in return.

READ MORE: Are Dallas Mavericks overrated or underrated heading into 2025-26 season?

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