The move was so controversial that it led to protests and calls for the firing of the team's general manager, Nico Harrison. Doncic, drafted third overall in 2018 and acquired by the Mavericks in a draft-day trade, had been the face of the franchise since taking over from Dirk Nowitzki.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are looking at staging a preseason game in Las Vegas, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Assuming they both played, this would pit the Lakers' Luka Dončić and Mavericks' Anthony Davis against their old teams.