Mavericks fans' Luka Doncic wound widens as Lakers land another former Mavs teammate

In Luka Doncic's second full offseason with the Los Angeles Lakers, they have already paired him up with two of his former Dallas Mavericks teammates. Los Angeles signed Quentin Grimes in free agency earlier this week, and they kicked off the holiday weekend by trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for a package centered around Jaden Hardy.

Mavericks fans are now stuck watching Doncic reunite with multiple players that he played with in Dallas in Los Angeles. The Lakers are already trying to turn LA into Dallas 2.0 by bringing in players with playstyles that he played well with in Dallas, but seeing them do this literally makes the pain of Doncic not running the show for the Mavericks sting even more.

Jaden Hardy reunites with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers are trading Ayton to the Wizards for Hardy and two second-round picks. Hardy, who played two and a half seasons with Doncic in Dallas, has been reunited with the Slovenian superstar in a pivotal season for the Lakers.

Hardy spent the early part of his career with the Mavs before getting traded to the Wizards in the Anthony Davis trade in February, and this is where his career really took off. He averaged 12.6 points per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range on 6.0 attempts per game in the nation's capital, proving that he can excel once his role is expanded.

His breakout in Washington was frustrating for Mavericks fans, as there were still plenty of Hardy believers before he was traded.

Hardy's Washington breakout makes this trade sting more for Dallas

Hardy's time in Dallas was a rollercoaster.

He struggled with inconsistency, and Jason Kidd's trust in him varied, but his potential to break out was always there. Standing at 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he has a strong build for an NBA shooting guard. A bit undersized, but his length and shooting made up for it.

Hardy is at his best when playing off the ball, which allows him to feast on open looks, and the Lakers should utilize him in this way next season. Doncic has already proven he can bring the best out of him during their time together in Dallas, and their reunion is painful for Mavericks fans.

Dallas fans are stuck watching Doncic play with former teammates

Dallas fans desperately want Doncic to return in free agency in 2028. Until that possibility comes around, though, they're going to have to watch him play with multiple of his old Mavericks teammates on the Lakers.

Grimes and Hardy each bring valuable skill sets for a team looking to build around Doncic. Hardy brings shooting and secondary scoring, helping take pressure off Doncic and providing the offense with valuable spacing. Grimes brings strong defense, shooting, and energy, and he has the intangibles to play alongside Doncic in the backcourt when Austin Reaves is on the bench.

Both players have already thrived alongside Doncic, and realistically, they should still be playing with him in Dallas. The Mavericks had the perfect team around him before trading him to the Lakers, and both Hardy and Grimes were on the roster when the trade went down.

They had the tools to return to the NBA Finals in 2025, but the Doncic trade changed everything. They've now missed the NBA Playoffs in back-to-back seasons, while Doncic and the Lakers have made the playoffs both years.

Seeing Doncic play elsewhere is painful enough. Seeing him reunite with two former Mavericks teammates in Los Angeles takes it to another level.

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