Luka Doncic makes his feeling about Mavericks and his desire to be traded clear

The Dallas Mavericks lost 12 of their last 16 regular season games to finish 38-44. They missed the playoff for the first time since Luka Doncic was a rookie, and there was plenty of disappointment after reaching the conference finals last season. Doncic finished second in the NBA in scoring and produced MVP-caliber numbers, but the team struggled to win. Their defense, rebounding, and late games woes all piled up into a forgettable campaign.

Dallas decided to rest their regular rotation players in the final two games as they looked to keep their 2023 first-round pick. The Mavericks owe it to the Knicks if it lands 11 through 14 after the lottery. They finished with the tenth-worst record and have a 79.8 percent chance to keep their pick.

Luka Doncic met the media on April 9 after the regular season finale loss to the Spurs where he discussed Tim MacMahon’s report that the organization fears he may request a trade. Get the latest here.

Luka Doncic makes his feeling about Mavericks and his desire to be traded clear

Doncic was asked plenty about the organization and what they needed to do to improve their roster. Tim MacMahon specifically asked about the franchise’s direction, and Luka responded with the following.

"Yeah, I mean I saw the report. I don’t know who, but somebody said I was going to request a trade. It was funny because I didn’t know that was true because I didn’t say it."

Tim MacMahon clarified that the team is fearful that Doncic may request a trade like many other superstars have if the team is not competing for a championship. Doncic responded with the following.

"I know what you are saying, but I am happy here, so there is nothing to worry."

Luka also talked about wanting to continue playing with Kyrie Irving, and a lot more after the team’s regular-season finale, and fans can hear the entire interview below.

Number 77 appears to be happy in Dallas, but he wants to win. Next up is arguably the biggest offseason in franchise history. They need to re-sign Kyrie Irving and plug holes in their roster. The Dallas Mavericks need to improve their rebounding, rim protection, and defense if they are going to make it back to the playoffs in 2024. Dallas has to make moves now to keep Luka Doncic happy.

What are the Mavs going to do this offseason? How much can they improve their roster with limited trade assets? Stay tuned to find out.