Mavericks need to leave Luka Doncic alone after moving on from him

Since trading away Luke Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks have embarked on, somewhat, of a smear campaign. Multiple reports have surfaced, explaining why the Mavericks were concerned with Doncic's off-court life and his application toward being a professional athlete. 

A new installment of Dallas' 'this is why we did it' messaging came out on Wednesday, in the form of a Sam Amick article for The Athletic. The article cites Doncic's enjoyment of beer and hookah as reasons why the front office had questions over his long-term viability. 

“Make no mistake, the people who witnessed Doncic’s last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old’s professionalism,” Amick reported. “They call him lazy; they talk about the weight issues that were such a frequent frustration within their walls. They mention the social habits that The Athletic has reported on — such as a taste for beer and hookah — which have been a point of concern for NBA types since he was a 19-year-old star for Real Madrid who was entering the NBA Draft."

For all of those concerns, the Mavericks are failing to remember that Doncic led them to the NBA Finals last season and that he's a top-five talent in the NBA who can still improve. At 25, Doncic can still fix his off-court habits and enjoy a long and potentially legendary career.

What's worse, is the Mavericks aren't coming out of this situation looking very good. Every report that sheds light on their concerns is coming off as a hit piece. The fact that there is consistent messaging regarding his long-term health and availability is also drawing ire from the fanbase. After all, Doncic's return, Anthony Davis, got hurt on his debut and hasn't been seen since.

Dallas general manager Nico Harrison knew trading Doncic would be an unpopular decision, but he signed off on it anyway. Now, the Mavericks should stop trying to save face and embrace the decision, regardless of how it plays out. They can't take it back now, anyways. So, rather than reports surfacing about Doncic's habits, or why there were concerns, there should be discussions on Davis and when he's due back, or how well Kyrie Irving is playing.

Doncic is no longer a Maverick. Therefore, it's time to leave him alone and allow him to begin building a legacy as a Laker.