Former Maverick Ryan Broekhoff and Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell react to shock Luka Doncic trade
It’s the trade that left the entire basketball world shocked and questioning the value of a franchise superstar. Now an NBA Sixth Man of the Year and 36ers star Montrezl Harrell and a former Maverick weigh in.
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Former Dallas Maverick Ryan Broekhoff says his ex-club didn’t receive enough for giving up the franchise’s marquee man Luka Doncic, while Montrezl Harrell is stunned the Mavs let the generational talent go at all.
The basketball world is still coming to grips with the Mavericks sensationally trading Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The five-time All-Star joins forces with the legendary LeBron James in LA alongside Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks will receive Lakers’ big man Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
Broekhoff and Doncic played alongside each other as rookies for Dallas in the 2018-19 season.
He compared the decision to ship out shooting maestro, revered by the Mavericks’ fanbase, to moving the franchise’s greatest player Dirk Nowitzki.
“Dallas didn’t get enough in return,” Broekhoff said.
“AD’s (Davis) fit is ok for the Mavs but, for Luka, to only get first-round pick (back) is wild.
“Fans are upset, that’s for sure. It’s like trading Dirk.”
Harrell also weighed in on the bombshell Doncic trade, saying he thought the Mavericks superstar would be a one-team player in the NBA.
Adelaide 36ers import Harrell, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, was as shocked as anyone in the basketball world by the news the Mavericks had pulled the trigger on a deal that sent All Star guard Doncic to the LA Lakers for dominant big man Anthony Davis.
“I was just surprised that the Mavs made the choice to move him,” Harrell told Code Sports.
“I definitely thought he was going to be one of those people that was going to have the career of a Dirk Nowitzki or Kobe Bryant, being in a place that he never left and was able to end out his career there.
“Especially with the Mavs’ (part) owner, Mark Cuban, the way he always had high praise and talked about him.”
The trade news sent social media into a spiral on Sunday (AEDT) and Harrell - who has played for the Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Lakers, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers - says it put every NBA player on notice.
“It goes to show that nobody’s job is fully secure, you’ve got blockbuster trades going on with guys like that so that’s just definitely let everybody else in the NBA know that your job is never safe,” Harrell said while at a Reebok campaign shoot in Melbourne.
“You’ve got to come in and do the work, do the job that’s asked of you and if you’re not doing that at a high enough level for them, you can be moved.”
As for his own NBA moves, with the NBL at the pointy end of the season conversation naturally turns to what comes next for the ’Monsta’ and if a return to the big league is on the cards.
But it’s the comparison between the NBA and NBL’s season lengths that proves the biggest concern for Harrell, who also returned from a knee injury for NBL25.
“It’s still a work in progress, it’s one of those situations where it’s just the way the game goes, the way the NBA analysts look at the game,” Harrell said.
“You have to understand, it’s a short season, not even half of the NBA season that’s being played, 30 games here, NBA you play 82 as a regular season.
“It’s one of those things if I can do it across a longer period of time, as this is a quick season.
“But at the end of the day, I’m just playing the game of basketball at this point of time.
“I’m blessed to be able to come off a knee injury, my ACL and meniscus, it’s my first season to come back and play after that type of injury.
“I feel like my sights are still to get to the NBA but I’m not going to kill myself to do that.”
Coming off a two-game losing streak, and with one to play for the regular season, Adelaide is looking set for a finals berth.
But with the 36ers form a hot topic, the big man declares they are not the only ones showing inconsistent form.
“That’s basketball, everybody is going to have ups and downs, everybody is going to have time on the court where you’re not looking your best.
“Look at Cairns knocking off Illawarra, it’s a game of runs, it’s who is able to withstand the other team’s runs.
“It’s not turning inward, not panicking but getting it (the game) back within one or two plays.”
The 36ers are currently sixth on the NBL standings, and will close the regular season against Perth on Friday night.
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Originally published as Former Maverick Ryan Broekhoff and Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell react to shock Luka Doncic trade
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