The Las Vegas Aces hit rock bottom on Saturday. After folding in an embarrassing 111-58 loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, change has never been more necessary.
Rob Pelinka's moves this summer have been calculated. The aim was to convince Doncic that his long-term future resided with the franchise. And on Saturday, Pelinka got his wish.
Dismissing that title undercuts not only what those Lakers endured but the very meaning of resilience and excellence in one of the toughest environments basketball has seen.
After a shocking trade to the Lakers, Luka Doncic has devoted months to intensive conditioning this summer. With the five-time All-NBA guard looking "lean as heck," Doncic seems intent on proving the Mavericks made a mistake in trading him.
Ben Simmons isn't the sought-after commodity he was half a decade ago, but the former first overall selection continues to find opportunities around the league.