New Luka Doncic rumor revives Mavericks' hope to pull off the unthinkable

Just over three months ago, the Dallas Mavericks did the unthinkable.

Less than an hour before midnight on February 1, Nico Harrison decided to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. It was a move that no one would have ever expected, as Doncic had just led the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season, and the fan base has been heartbroken since he was traded.

Patrick Dumont and Harrison underestimated how much Doncic meant to the city and fan base, and nothing has been the same since. Doncic now enters the offseason with the chance at signing an extension with the Lakers, and the only way Mavericks fans would ever be able to get over the trade is quietly on the table for next summer.

Luka Doncic's return to Dallas is on the table for next summer

While Doncic has voiced that he plans on staying in Los Angeles into the future and giving them the same loyalty that he showed Dallas for the first six and a half seasons of his career, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that he will "take his time with his decision" this summer, and if Doncic doesn't sign an extension, this would give the Mavericks the chance to pursue him in free agency next year (assumming he opts out of his player option after next season).

Tons of change would likely have to happen for Doncic to return to Dallas, including firing Harrison and Dumont issuing a heartfelt apology for everything that has transpired since the trade, and even though this seems like a shot in the dark at this point, anything is possible. Doncic wanted to retire a Maverick and bring them their first title since 2011, and his return would bring life back to Mavericks basketball once again.

If the Mavericks struggle again next season and have another disappointing year, Dumont could consider firing Harrison and get the ball rolling on turning things around in Dallas by making a run at getting Doncic back in Dallas. It seems like Dumont will roll with Harrison as GM for the time being, but he has heard and noted the fans' "fire Nico" chants at home games. Dumont has to feel swindled for the way that the trade went down, and he no longer has the same trust in Harrison that he once did.

Dumont is now trying to bring in another executive to work alongside Harrison in the front office rather than giving him all of the power, and if fans' disgust with Harrison continues into next season and the team doesn't flourish, this executive could even end up being Harrison's successor if Dumont fires him.

Seemingly all of Dallas wants Harrison fired for trading Doncic and not maximizing his return, and every fan would welcome Doncic back with open arms. Mavericks fans have missed everything about Doncic on and off the floor ever since he was traded to Los Angeles, and Dumont finding a way to get him back to Dallas would bring fans back in bunches, and it would help fans trust him again.

At the end of the day, the Mavericks are in one of the darkest periods in franchise history right now after they missed the NBA Playoffs less than one year after making their third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, and this type of move would help fans forget the misery they have been through over the last few months. Mavericks fans will never forget the happiness Doncic brought them during his time with the team, and his potential return to Dallas in the summer of 2026 would bring that same joy back to the American Airlines Center once again.