Celtics star may have played a role in blockbuster Luka Doncic trade

According to an NBA insider, a Boston Celtics star played a role in Luka Doncic being traded to a long-time rival.

The news of Doncic's trade sent shockwaves across the NBA. Fans were left stunned at why the Dallas Mavericks would trade away a young prospect seemingly entering the prime of his career.

Speaking to the media soon after the trade, culture and defensive effort were highlighted by Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.

"As we turn the page, I think it's important to know that [Mavs coach Jason Kidd] and I, we've had a vision and the culture that we want to create since we've been here," Harrison said via ESPN. "The players that we're bringing in, we believe, exemplify that. We think defense wins championships, and we're bringing in one of the best two-way players in the league."

While Doncic has been criticized for his defensive effort, according to NBA insider Marc Spears, Jaylen Brown's domination of Doncic in the 2024 NBA Finals impacted the Mavericks' view of the 25-year-old.

“He shut him down in the Finals,” Spears said on the “Cedric Maxwell Podcast via Boston.com. “What he did to Luka in the Finals — shutting him down, guarding him full court, making it unbearable offensively — led Dallas to questioning Luka as the leader of the team, and questioning whether he was in shape or not.”

Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals on his way to an NBA Finals MVP. Doncic guarded Brown for the majority of the time and it apparently left a poor taste in the Mavericks' mouth.

It is quite ironic that a Celtics player's domination of Doncic would lead to him joining the Los Angeles Lakers. If somehow the longtime rivals end up in the NBA Finals, it would be a treat to see Brown and Doncic go head-to-head once again.