Reports questioning Luka Dončić's conditioning, work habits and weight surfaced after he was traded to the Lakers, upon his arrival in Los Angeles, according to a new report that has reignited one of the NBA's most contentious transactions. The claim adds fresh scrutiny to a deal that sent shockwaves through the league when it happened and that still shapes both franchises' fortunes nearly two years later.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that reports questioning Dončić's conditioning, weight, work habits and lifestyle began circulating after the trade, according to Newsweek. Amick also reported allegations of a “smear campaign behind the scenes” to justify dealing away the franchise cornerstone. The New York Post later reported on the allegation, framing the campaign as an effort to soften public reaction to a trade that stunned fans and players alike.
Dallas traded Dončić to the Lakers in a three-team deal in February 2025, sending Anthony Davis to the Mavericks in return, as The Los Angeles Times reported at the time. The paper noted the swap was negotiated almost entirely between Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and then-Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, without the knowledge of the players involved. Dallas sent Dončić along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles, while the Lakers parted with Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
Harrison's Reasoning, According to the Reports
An earlier Athletic report described Harrison's frustrations with Dončić's conditioning and off-court habits, his desire for a better defender, and Dončić's close relationship with Davis as factors behind the move, per the outlet's account relayed by The New York Times. Separately, Sports Illustrated reported that Harrison argued internally that a potential five-year, $345 million supermax extension for Dončić would be, in his words, “an awful investment,” pointing to conditioning concerns, poor off-court habits and recurring calf strains, according to Sports Illustrated.
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont also publicly defended the trade and questioned Dončić's work ethic in Dallas, as Marca reported. Harrison's broader case reportedly leaned on the Mavericks' postseason collapse too — the team held Boston to a 111.0 offensive rating in the 2024 NBA Finals, well below the Celtics' 123.2 season average, while Dallas shot just 31.5 percent from three-point range in that series, per the same Sports Illustrated account.
Former Teammates Push Back
Not everyone in the Mavericks' locker room agreed with the characterization. Former teammate Quentin Grimes rejected the idea that Dončić had developed poor work habits in comments originally published by The Athletic and later reported by Marca: “Luka was always in the gym and I know that because I saw him working to improve his game every time I went there to train.”
Seth Curry offered a similar defense, calling Dončić, in comments to Sporting News, “One of the best competitors I've ever played with” who consistently showed up ready to play when healthy. The outlet also noted that since the trade, the Lakers have gone 12-4 while the Mavericks have gone 7-10.
The Body Transformation That Followed
Whatever the truth behind the front office's private reasoning, Dončić responded publicly by overhauling his physique. He completed two-a-day workouts in Croatia while following a gluten-free, low-sugar diet that includes at least 250 grams of protein daily, according to his own account given to Men's Health. The transformation has become a recurring theme in coverage of his career since leaving Dallas — The Athletic noted that for two consecutive summers, Dončić has shown a level of dedication in completely reshaping his body, after his weight had once been such a significant part of his public story.
The results have shown up on the court. The Lakers finished 53-29 in Dončić's first full season in Los Angeles, with him leading the NBA at 33.5 points per game, the station's report noted. Dallas, by contrast, finished 26-56 the following season. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece the Mavericks received in return, appeared in just 29 games across two seasons in Dallas before being dealt again, this time to Washington.
Snubbed in MVP Voting, Still Producing
Despite the on-court turnaround, Dončić was notably absent from the vote recipients in NBA.com's annual anonymous general-manager survey on the league's top individual honor, an unofficial signal that the league's executives have moved past him as an MVP contender, per the same Athletic account. That's despite Dončić finishing fourth in actual MVP voting last season.
Dončić opened the 2026-27 season against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, with the Lakers winning 127-105; he finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the victory. Nearly two years removed from the trade that reshaped two franchises, the numbers suggest Dončić has had the last word on the court, whatever was said about him behind the scenes in Dallas.
