Luka Doncic makes it clear who the enemy is in statement to Mavericks fans

I cannot believe I'm about to type this again. Luka Doncic is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

This is easiest the most 'WTF' trade in recent NBA history. All of NBA history? There have been some mind-melters in the past, but the Dallas Mavericks trading away a 25-year-old perennial MVP candidate without immediate internal or external pressure might take the cake.

There was quite literally no reason for this to happen. Nico Harrison talked in circles and made up some impressively thin excuses in his press conference on Sunday, but the simple fact remains — Dallas just tanked its own championship odds, now and for the next decade, all so Harrison could team up with a former Nike client and help out Rob Pelinka, who once did business with Harrison as Kobe Bryant's agent.

It boggles the mind. Confounds the intellect. Anthony Davis is a great, great player, and maybe the Mavs can do something with him and Kyrie Irving, an undeniably talented duo. But, Doncic was special, and his longstanding dedication to the Mavs organization renders all arguments in favor of this trade (beyond "I'm a Lakers fan, yay") moot.

There has been speculation about what caused Dallas to pull the plug on its franchise talent. The initial reports are damning — that Harrison was worried about the upcoming supermax negotiations and the potential for Doncic to leave in free agency, which the GM admitted directly to reporters.

That said, Doncic's official statement appears to debunk those concerns.

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Luka Doncic paints Mavs organization as incredibly inept with heartfelt statement to fans

Let is be known that Doncic did not ask for a trade or ever hint at the possibility of asking out. Let it be known that Dallas' concerns about paying Doncic were exclusive to the Mavs front office and rooted in an utterly foolhardy logic that stands in direct contrast to their return haul. A team worried about Doncic's longevity probably shouldn't trade for a 31-year-old, 7-foot Anthony Davis with a lengthy track record of nagging lower-leg injuries. But don't let that fool ya, because Harrison was not concerned with the reality of his decision. He wanted his guy, a former friend and business associate, consequences be damned.

Doncic loved Dallas. He was active in the community and he expressed his desire to bring a championship to the Mavs organization on several occasions. This idea that he could've forced his way out the door is completely unfounded. The Mavs were seeing ghosts of their own subconscious. Harrison's presser was laughable because, when actually pressured to provide a satisfying explanation, it did not exist. There is no way to vindicate a trade that is devoid of merit.

The final line of Harrison's media session speaks volumes.

"The future to me is 3-4 years from now. The future 10 years from now, they'll probably bury me and J-[Kidd] by then. Or we'll bury ourselves."

What is truly incredible is that even by his warped sense of time and consequence, Harrison's trade completely misses the mark. Doncic is better than Davis right now. He's a better fit for this Mavs roster right now. Dallas is tanking its competitive chances for the next 3-4 years, and for the next several years after that. The Lakers, meanwhile, did not know what the future held beyond LeBron James a few days ago. Now, all of a sudden, LA has a foundational pillar for the next 10-plus years, and another superstar to incorporate into the historic Lakers lore.

Doncic expressed excitement for his new opportunity on social media, but we can read between the lines. He wanted to follow in Dirk Nowitzki's footsteps as a Mav for Life, and he'll never get that opportunity. It's sad for everyone involved, and it's an unforced error that will come to define Harrison's misbegotten tenure as Mavericks GM.