Patrick Mahomes is among the many Dallas Mavericks fans left upset by the Luka Doncic trade.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback admitted that the deal hurt him, noting that he had seen Doncic grow as one of the NBA‘s top stars ever since the team added him in the 2018 NBA Draft.
“It’s tough,” Mahomes told reporters at Super Bowl LIX Opening Night. “You know, I’ve watched Luka since he was 18 years old. I remember going to a practice and it was Dirk [Nowitzki] and Luka, and seeing his maturation and how great of a basketball player he’s become, it’s been fun to watch.
“As a Dallas fan, it hurts me.”
Mahomes, a Texas native who is also a lifelong Mavericks fan, expressed his initial confusion over the deal on social media when it was first reported late Saturday night. He wrote in a post on X “I’m sick rn….,” seemingly speaking for many other Dallas fans who didn’t like the trade.
As Mahomes has made frequent courtside appearances at Mavericks games over the last few years, he mentioned that he’s formed a bond with Doncic. Even though Doncic won’t be playing for his favorite team anymore, Mahomes is rooting for him to have success with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I’m happy for him that he’s going to be able to go out there and be in LA and get the chance to achieve his dream of winning a championship,” Mahomes said. “He did so much, not only for the basketball team but for the city of Dallas, so I’ll always be appreciative of those years.”
The trade between the Mavericks and Lakers, which also included the Utah Jazz taking on Jalen Hood-Schifino and second-round picks, was shocking for plenty of reasons. The Lakers’ decision to send away Anthony Davis, who’s in the midst of another All-NBA-caliber season, was surprising as the 31-year-old big man had helped them win a title five years ago and was thought to be a part of the organization’s long-term plans.
But, obviously, the biggest reason why the deal was a stunner was that Dallas opted to part with a 25-year-old perennial MVP candidate just eight months after he led them to the NBA Finals. Such a trade has very little precedent in recent sports memory, let alone NBA history.
As the news broke late Saturday, many wondered on social media what the NFL equivalent of the Doncic trade would be. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith tried to come up with one.
“I’d probably say, like, Justin Jefferson getting traded,” Smith said Monday night.
In terms of on-field success, Jefferson is a strong comp to Doncic. The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver instantly became one of the best players at his position when he entered the league in 2020, setting all-time rookie receiving records. The 25-year-old won Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and earned his second first-team All-Pro nod this past season as well.
But even some of the best wide receivers have been traded. Doncic’s value as a consensus top-five player is probably more similar to a franchise quarterback, who rarely ever gets moved, especially at 25.
Mahomes might be the greatest example of how valuable a franchise quarterback is after he’s had unprecedented success through his first seven years as a starter. The 29-year-old is seeking to win his fourth title and third straight championship when the Chiefs take on the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX).
There’s an argument to be made that the Mavericks traded the NBA’s Mahomes equivalent, which would obviously haunt Dallas for years to come if Doncic has that type of success in Los Angeles. But Mahomes added in another post on Sunday that he’s looking forward to watching Davis play with Kyrie Irving. That sentiment remained at Opening Night.
“I’m excited for the Mavericks moving forward and the guys that they brought in,” Mahomes said.
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