Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has appeared to take a shot at Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont.
More Luka Doncic news: Mavericks Ownership Finally Breaks Silence on Blockbuster Luka Doncic Trade
After Dumont broke his silence on Sunday on the biggest trade the sports world saw last week between the Lakers and Mavericks that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, Dumont backed the trade and took some wild shots at his former superstar.
However, James couldn’t let it pass and decided to take an apparent shot at Dumont via his personal Instagram account.
On Sunday, Dumont’s comments on the trade were made public, and in them, he took a shot at Dončić, saying he is not a hard worker compared to the other greats in the game.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” he said. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”
“That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do it with us.”
The Dumonts took over majority ownership of the Mavericks in Jan. 2024 when Mark Cuban sold 73 percent of his stake in the team.
James is never shy to speak his mind, and he decided to do so while backing his new superstar teammate.
Dončić was traded to the Lakers on Feb. 2 along with forward/center Maxi Kleber and forward/center Markieff Morris from the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team trade.
In return, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick.
The trade, still shocking to many, appeared to be a no-brainer to the Mavericks brass, including general manager Nico Harrison. Internal worries about Dončić’s recent injury history have been tied to conditioning concerns the Mavericks had with their former superstar.
Dumont reiterated Harrison’s statements that the team was focused on bringing in players who could help build and improve the Mavericks’ “culture,” but he stopped short of saying Doncic didn’t fit that culture.
James is known for being one of the hardest-working athletes of all time. The Lakers are betting on Dončić panning out, believing he can be even greater than he was in Dallas alongside the four-time NBA MVP.
More news: Mavericks Coach Leaves Team Following Decision to Trade Luka Doncic
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Mark Cuban Breaks Silence About Mavericks Trading Away Luka Doncic to Lakers
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