“It was just getting spooky” – Ex-Mavericks coach reveals Luka Doncic’s Dallas exit shaping his Orlando Magic decision

Former Dallas Mavericks coach God Shammgod revealed that the Luka Doncic trade factored in on his decision to leave for the Orlando Magic. Back in February, the Mavericks and the LA Lakers shocked the basketball world after Doncic was traded for Anthony Davis mid-season.

While superstars being traded for each other wasn’t unusual, the timing of the trade was what threw everyone off. Normally, teams would trade superstars during the offseason. Another thing to note was that Doncic was the Mavs’ poster boy, which added more drama to the trade.

God Shammgod recently talked about what happened behind the scenes when the Mavericks organization shockingly decided to trade Luka Doncic.

“The thing about Dallas was, it was just getting spooky times man," Shammgod said on the 'It is what it is' podcast. "I love Dallas and I’m cool with everyone that’s over there. When the (Doncic trade) went down, it was one of those things, if someone treats your man like that, it’s a countdown.”

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Shammgod then confirmed that it was due to the Doncic trade that he wanted out of the Mavericks organization. During his time in Dallas, he served as the team's Player Development coach. Now signing with the Magic, he is expected to serve as one of the team's assistant coaches next season.

NBA star believes Luka Doncic will become international GOAT

There's no denying that Luka Doncic is one of the best basketball players in the world right now. Some argue that he's already the top international star in the NBA, while others think that he's still climbing to the top.

While there is some truth to people's thoughts on the Slovenian superstar, fellow NBA star Paul George believes that Doncic has what it takes to be an international GOAT.

George is one of Doncic's Western Conference rivals who has faced off with him on several occasions. PG is familiar with Luka's game and strongly believes that his abilities surpass all former international greats.

“We’re talking about being the biggest international player now," George said about Doncic. "That’s surpassing GOATs, you know what I mean? That’s surpassing Dirk, that’s surpassing Tony Parker, that’s surpassing Hakeem."

"He’s got a chance to be the biggest international guy," George continued. "Surpassing Giannis, in a way. He’s got a chance to be one of the best to ever do it. His game is just way older than what he is. He’s tough, man. He’s a problem. Big fan of Luka. And he talks that sh*t too. He’s a child killer.”

Looking at Luka Doncic's seven-year career so far, he's averaging 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The only things missing in his career are an MVP award and an NBA title. Notching those two accolades would undoubtedly put him at the top of the international mountain, alongside the other greats who've achieved similar accolades.

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About the author

Itiel Estudillo

Itiel Estudillo is an NBA journalist at Sportskeeda. He played for his basketball teams during elementary and high school. With strong sports writing and journalism skills, Itiel excels in crafting engaging narratives and staying updated with the latest NBA news and trends. He enjoys fact-checking, helping with research, and being a fresh set of eyes on fellow writers' articles.

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